Rishabh Pant, the Indian wicket-keeper batsman says the hundred that he struck in the recently-concluded pink-ball warm-up game was just the confidence-booster he needed ahead of the Test series against Australia starting December 17 at Adelaide.
Rishabh Pant, who struggled with fitness and form in IPL 2020 in the UAE, showed glimpses of his batting abilities and created a selection dilemma for the Indian team management by smashing a 73-ball 103 in the visitors’ second innings against Australia A in the second practice game at Sydney.
Rishabh Pant’s Ton Has Been A Big Confidence-Booster
India will now have to choose between Rishabh Pant and Bengal’s Wriddhiman Saha, who has shown himself to be a solid wicket-keeper, for the series-opener which will be a day-night affair in Adelaide, starting Thursday, 17th December. Rishabh Pant and Hanuma Vihari scored tons as India managed to draw the match against Australia A.
“When I went out to bat a lot of overs were left, so (Hanuma) Vihari and I wanted to build a good partnership. We wanted to bat as much as possible. I was just trying to give myself as much time as possible and slowly I started to develop confidence,” Pant told the BCCI’s official website.
“This hundred has been a big confidence-booster for me. It’s been a month, I am in Australia but I didn’t get the chance to play in the first practice match because of a stiff neck. In the first innings here I was unlucky as I felt the LBW decision was wrong from the umpire. In the second innings, my focus was to spend as much time as possible and the result is I got a good innings under my belt,” he said.
In IPL 2020, Rishabh Pant scored 343 runs in 14 games with only 1 fifty averaging 31.18 at a strike rate of 113.95 which is below par according to his standards.
Rishabh Pant: Batting Unit Keen To Spend As Much Time As Possible In Middle
The 23-year-old left-hander said Indian team’s main focus in the second practice game, as a batting unit, was to spend considerable time in the middle of crease against the pink ball.
“In the first innings we got out little early because there was a lot of moisture on the wicket. In the second innings, we got an idea about the wicket…so in the second innings everyone tried and applied more,” he said.
“The batting unit was keen to spend as much time as possible in the middle,” Pant said detailing the team’s plan as it was necessary to play the practice match with the pink ball.
“The bowlers bowled well, the batsmen got good time at the crease. Everyone did well, so I think we got very good practice because playing under lights is little difficult,” he added.
Australia have won all of their 7 day-night matches played while India have won the only match they played under lights that too against Bangladesh.