Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant is undoubtedly one of the brightest young talents around but often faces criticism for his glove work. His keeping used to be a liability earlier in his career and would cost him his place in the squad, with Wriddhiman Saha preferred for that role.
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However, the 23-year-old southpaw has worked on that aspect of his game in recent times and it is definitely paying off in the second Test against England in Chennai.
Following up two spectacular, one-handed, diving catches to get rid of Ollie Pope and Jack Leach in the first innings, he displayed lightning-quick reflexes to dismiss Dan Lawrence on day four at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday.
The dismissal came in the 26th over of England’s innings and was the first of Day 4 for India as Ravichandran Ashwin struck with his very first delivery of the day.
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He anticipated Lawrence’s tactic to charge down the track against him and drifted one into his legs, which beat the right-hander all ends up and went through his legs, with Pant completing a smart stumping with a lunging dive.
England are on the ropes at Lunch with their second innings score at 116/7 after the first session. Ashwin (3/42), Axar Patel (3/41) and Kuldeep Yadav (1/7) have taken four wickets between them as India are just three wickets away from levelling the series.