Former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif has opined that Rishabh Pant did not do any wonders in the first innings of the ongoing Test match between India and England. As per Asif, the English bowlers did not bowl in Pant’s weak areas, which is why the Indian wicket-keeper batter smashed 146 runs off 111 balls.
England won the toss and opted to bowl first in Birmingham. James Anderson and Matty Potts combined forces to reduce India to 98/5. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja then hit a century each, stitching up a 222-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Their brilliant partnership helped India post a 416-run total on the board in the first innings.
Pant smashed 19 fours and four sixes in his entertaining knock. While the other batters have struggled on the same pitch at Edgbaston, Mohammad Asif thinks Pant’s success was not because of his skills but due to England’s poor bowling.
“It was totally England bowlers’ fault as Pant did no wonders. He [Pant] has technical faults. His left-hand doesn’t work but still he managed to score a century because English bowlers didn’t bowl to him in his weak areas,” Asif was quoted as saying in a video released on Twitter.
"It was totally England bowlers' fault as Risabh Pant did no wonders"
— Cricket Pakistan (@cricketpakcompk) July 2, 2022
Mohammad Asif says England didn't bowl well to Rishabh Pant after the wicket-keeper batter scored a rapid 146 off 111 balls
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Mohammad Asif clarified that he is not against Rishabh Pant
Mohammad Asif pointed out that England captain Ben Stokes gave bowling to Jack Leach when two left-handed batters were in the middle. In Asif’s view, it was not the best call. He added:
“I am not against Pant, but with such decisions by the opposition, you get an edge to score big.”
Pant dominates Day 1 of Historic Test with a record-shattering display en route a classy 146 off just 111 balls for #TeamIndia 🫡🔥
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) July 1, 2022
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Rishabh Pant’s hundred has placed India in a commanding position in the fifth Test against England. It will be interesting to see if the century ends in a winning cause.
