New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell revealed that Rishabh Pant’s explosive batting didn’t scare them during the first Test at M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. Notably, New Zealand won the match by eight wickets as they registered their first win in India after 36 years.
However, at one stage, it seemed that India would claw their way back into the game as Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz Khan got involved in a massive 177-run partnership and helped India eat away the massive deficit of 356 runs. Recently, Mitchell opened on the dominating stand between the duo and praised Rishabh Pant for his fearless strokeplay.
However, he mentioned that the team was focused on getting wickets and putting pressure back on India.
“Rishabh, he’s a world-class player and I seriously respect how he goes about playing his cricket and it was a great partnership. But for us, we know that at Bangalore, it’s a fast-scoring ground. Where we were in the position of the game, we knew that we just need to keep trying to take wickets, keep trying to put pressure on them,” said Mitchell in the post-match press conference.
Pant was unfortunately dismissed on 99 as he missed out on his 7th international Test century while Sarfaraz got dismissed for 150. Following their dismissals on 433, the Indian lower order failed to capitalize on their position and were bundled out for 462.
Rishabh Pant likely to play 2nd Test
Later in the fourth innings, New Zealand successfully chased down the target of 107 losing just two wickets and took a 1-0 lead in the series. Meanwhile, India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has given an update on Pant after his injury in the first Test. The wicketkeeper batter was forced to leave the field with a left knee injury on Day 2 of the Test match.
While Pant did bat in the second innings but didn’t keep in the second innings with Dhruv Jurel donning the gloves behind the stumps. Updating on Pant’s injury in the pre-match press conference, ten Doeschate revealed that the wicketkeeper will be good to go in the second Test as well beginning from Thursday, October 24 in Pune.