‘Gabba Will be Special Forever, But This Knock is Invaluable’: Rishabh Pant’s Coach Lauds Century on Comeback to Test Cricket – News18
Rishabh Pant celebrating after reaching his century on Day 3 of India’s 1st Test against Bangladesh (X)
Pant’s coach Devendra Sharma himself lauded Pant’s knock today as one of his most ‘invaluable’, stating that it even supercedes the Indian’s iconic match-winning knock at the Gabba against Australia.
In what could only be termed a day of high emotions, Rishabh Pant finally buried the demons of doubt, and despair, as the wicketkeeper-batter slammed a scintillating century.
Pant’s debilitating near-death accident was one that the entire world witnessed, and ahead of his much-anticipated comeback, Pant looked onto his former coach Devender Sharma for advice and received a simple clear message: ‘Head down kar ke khelnaa’.
Play he would, as halfway through Day 3, Pant would stand near the middle of the pitch with closed eyes, a raised bat and his head held up high – just like Devendra does now as well.
“Obviously I am very happy for Rishabh. In fact, he could have got a hundred in the first innings also and I was a bit sad that he didn’t get that,” Devendra, who has mentored Pant since his pre-teen days at the iconic Sonnet Club told PTI.
“But today he was flawless. This hundred is an important innings for him as it’s his first international ton since comeback. It will be a tremendous confidence booster for him going ahead into the big Test match season.”
It’s never about how hard one can hit, but how one can get hit and keep moving forward. This is exactly the reason why Devendra Sharma lauded Pant’s knock today as one of his most ‘invaluable’, stating that it even supercedes the Indian’s iconic match-winning knock at the Gabba against Australia.
“The series-winning knock at the Gabba will forever be special for everyone but if as a coach I am asked about this knock, it is invaluable and couldn’t have come at a more opportune time,” Devendra reinstated.
“Every player needs that confidence and irrespective of all your heady achievements in white ball cricket, it is your Test match exploits that you are remembered for.”
“After the accident and the kind of rehabilitation that he had to go through, this knock will be right up there,” Devender stated.
Gill (119 not out) and Pant (109) led the hosts’ run glut with an alliance of 167 for the fourth wicket that helped India, overnight 81/3, declare their second innings at 287 for 4 for an overall lead of 514.
In reply, Bangladesh showed some spunk in their second innings to reach 158 for four when play was called off at 4.25 pm due to bad light. They still need a whopping 357 runs for the result to be in their favour.
(with agency inputs)
