Ravichandran Ashwin had bowled a faster and straighter one on a fourth-day Chepauk pitch, spotting Dan Lawrence’s forward movement. The England batsman had stepped out a little too early and the ball went through his legs. Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant collected it down the legside and dived to his right to complete the stumping. It was a fantastic delivery from the off-spinner. The stumping was even better. Pant returned with four dismissals from the second Test – two catches and as many stumpings.
Pant’s improved ‘keeping is directly related to his current batting form. He is carrying the confidence to his glovework. This is very common in cricket. An impactful left-hander at No. 5 or 6, playing as a ‘keeping all-rounder, however, is less common. The 23-year-old’s development as a package since the Australia tour has added an extra dimension to this Indian team займ на карту круглосуточно.
There is the flashy left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman… I have a weakness for that kind of player! What an irresistible player Rishabh Pant is,” Adam Gilchrist wrote in a column last month. Pant has a long way to go to match his idol, but if his development continues on the right track, an adequate replacement for MS Dhoni is a not-so-distant possibility. Indian fans, too, are warming up to the youngster’s cricket. Not many moons ago, crowds in Indian grounds used to chant Dhoni’s name whenever Pant made a mistake. During the second Test in Chennai, Dhoni’s spiritual home, fans sang Pant’s name in appreciation.