CAPE TOWN: Extremely pleased with the way Rishabh Pant batted in India’s second innings, teams’ bowling coach Paras Mhambrey on Thursday said the stumper-batter got the runs when the team needed them the most.
Pant produced a combative unbeaten hundred in the face of some hostile bowling by the home bowlers in difficult conditions. India set Proteas a 212-run target, thanks to Pant’s fearless approach.
“It was a fabulous innings that really got us back in the game. From a personal perspective there is pressure on him (Pant), obviously in a couple of innings didn’t get runs but getting runs at a crucial stage for the team, that is important,” Mhambrey said after the end of third day’s play.
Pant faced criticism for his poor shot selection in his previous innings but came up with a stunning knock on Thursday.
“And it really set the game (up) nicely for us and I think really happy with the way he played. It wasn’t an easy wicket to bat on but (he) showed a lot of character out there, really pleased,” Mhambrey said.
The coach was pleased that Pant responded to the situation in the best possible manner as he did not play any rash shot stayed focus on building partnerships.
“At that stage, you wanted a partnership ideally and you have someone like Virat (Kohli) at the other end, you wanted to stitch a nice partnership, which was going on.
“At that stage, as a batsman, you will (have to) sometimes take a back seat as well and assess the conditions and say what is the right thing at that stage. In terms of going ahead for the game and in that sense he (Pant) batted very well.”
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In Pics: South Africa eye victory despite Pant century for India in third Test
Show Captions
<p>Rishabh Pant hit a thrilling century for India and followed up with a crucial catch to break South Africa’s progress towards chasing down a victory target of 212 on the third day of the third Test at Newlands on Thursday. (BCCI Photo)</p>
<p>South Africa were 101 for two at the close, 111 runs short of clinching the match and a series which is tied at 1-1. Pant made 100 not out off 139 balls, hitting six fours and four sixes, but received minimal support from his teammates as India were bowled out for 198. (Reuters Photo)</p>
<p>South African captain Dean Elgar, the star of a similar chase in the second Test in Johannesburg, looked set to see out the day in partnership with in-form Keegan Petersen but fell to a diving leg side catch by Pant off Jasprit Bumrah in the last over of the day. He was out for 30. (AFP Photo)</p>
<p>Petersen, South Africa’s top-scorer with 72 in the first innings, was unbeaten on 48. (Reuters Photo)</p>
<p>Pant, batting with unorthodox flair, ran out of partners in a poor Indian batting performance but was able to notch his fourth Test century before the last wicket fell. Pant and captain Kohli put on 94 for the fifth wicket after India lost two wickets in the first two overs of the day after resuming on 57 for two. (AFP Photo)</p>
<p>Indian captain Virat Kohli made an unusually subdued 29, batting for more than three hours and facing 143 balls but the next highest contributor to the total was 28 extras. (Reuters Photo)</p>
<p>Left-arm fast bowling discovery Marco Jansen took four for 36 – his third four-wicket in three Tests – and Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi took three wickets each. (AFP Photo)</p>
<p>Ngidi made a crucial breakthrough when he had Kohli caught at second slip soon after lunch. He followed up by dismissing Ravichandran Ashwin and Shardul Thakur in quick succession, exposing the Indian tail. (AFP Photo)</p>
<p>Out-of-form SA opener Aiden Markram made 16, all from boundaries but was then caught sharply at third slip by KL Rahul. Having escaped with an extravagant drive which flew between third slip and gully, Markram repeated the shot again in the next ball and was out with the total on 23. (AFP Photo)</p>
<p>India appeared to have made a crucial breakthrough when Elgar was given out leg before wicket to Ashwin. He was on 22 and the total on 60. Elgar sought a review of umpire Marais Erasmus’ decision. It seemed an optimistic challenge but the ball tracking technology showed the ball was going just over the top of the stumps. Kohli and his team seemed astonished at the outcome and Kohli shouted into the stump microphone at the end of the over. (Reuters Photo)</p>
Mhambrey said Pant realised that after the skipper was dismissed, Pant took the leader’s role at the crease.
“Once you lost Virat, he had to take that leading role and which he did and then stitched partnership with the tail-enders as well. He batted very sensibly, given us a great opportunity to win a test from here.”
Mhambrey was hopeful that conditions would allow his pacers a fair chance for fight and all they need is to just hit the right lengths.
“It is not an easy wicket, I think there is a little awkward bounce on a patch, which has been created, but it is not going to be an easy wicket.
“We still know that even today in the later stages, a couple of balls did kick up, hit the glove, hit the chest. Keep it simple, hit the right areas and be patient about it,” the bowling coach signed off.
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