BENGALURU: Rishabh Pant supports his naturally aggressive hitting style and that’s a positive sign for the Indian team, vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah said on Sunday after Stumper’s spirited shot helped them set Sri Lanka a goal massive over 400 in the second test.
Pant became the fastest Indian batter to score a Test fifty when he hit the mark on 28 balls on the second day of the match, surpassing Kapil Dev’s record of 30 balls which he set in 1982 against Pakistan.
“Not everyone can play the same way. Every individual has a different game plan, so they backed up their strengths,” Bumrah said after the game day.
Bumrah said Pant is gaining more and more experience with each passing day.
“Not all the players in the team will play with the same pace, we understand that. He’s getting more and more experience and learning this game. It’s his (attacking) plan for the future, so it’s is a positive sign for us,” said the point guard.
Bumrah himself played a key role in taking control of the second Test with his five-wicket carry, which was his first at home.
“It feels good. When you play in all three formats you have to take care of your body and sometimes you miss the home tests. But it’s always good, it’s the moment when I had the opportunity and to be able to contribute to the success of the team is always a great feeling,” he said.
“You won’t get flat wickets everywhere you play”
The rotation-friendly track made life difficult for the Sri Lankan batters, even though the Indians negotiated the difficult track with aplomb.
Asked what the Indian did with the track, Bumrah replied that “no one is complaining”.
Bumrah feels that scoring runs at a track like this gives a lot more satisfaction.
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In photos: Dominant India turns the screw on Sri Lanka in second Test
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Sri Lanka finished day two 28-1 in their second leg after India set a mammoth target of 447 for victory in the second and final Test on Sunday. (Photo PTI)
Jasprit Bumrah struck in the first over to trap flyhalf Lahiru Thirimanne lbw for a duck but skipper Dimuth Karunaratne (10) and Kusal Mendis (16) saw the last overs of the day, with the tourists still 419 runs behind. (AP Photo)
After beating Sri Lanka for 109 in the first session, India hit 69 overs before declaring 303-9 with Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant notching half centuries while other Indian batsmen did not. succeeded from strong starts. (AP Photo)
Skipper Rohit Sharma, playing his 400th international match, dug deep to fall four points short of his fifty while Hanuma Vihari (35) was knocked down by spinner Praveen Jayawickrama as he tried to sweep. (Photo ANI)
Jayawickrama struck again to surprise Virat Kohli (13) with a delivery that turned sharp and stayed low, trapping him lbw in the same way he was sent off in the first set. (AP Photo)
But Pant took the game away from the Lankans by attacking the bowling as soon as he headed for the crease, raising his fiftieth with seven fours and two sixes. Made from 28 balls, his half century was the fastest by an Indian batsman, breaking the record set by Kapil Dev 40 years ago, before he skied a delivery from Jayawickrama who himself took the plug. (Photo ANI)
Iyer helped guide India to a lead beyond 400 with his second half of the game to add to his fine 92 on a spinning track in the opening innings. With nine boundaries, Iyer looked comfortable in the crease before being passed by a Lasith Embuldeniya delivery that hit him on the pads and sent him back to the clubhouse for 67. (ANI Photo)
Earlier, Sri Lanka had resumed day two 86-6 but their resistance lasted just 27 minutes as Bumrah (5-24) and Ravichandran Ashwin (2-30) cleared the line-up. Bumrah won his eighth five-wicket haul and his first at home on a ground heavily favoring spinners. (AP Photo)
“You always play under different conditions, not every wicket will be the same. If there is help for the bowlers, when you score on such a wicket, it gives you a lot of confidence,” said he declared.
“You’re not going to get flat wickets wherever you play, so whenever it’s a challenge, you always look forward to that challenge.
“No one is complaining about the wicket, yes everyone finds a way and is eager to contribute because they know if they score good points from a difficult wicket it will give them a lot of confidence and when they play on a relatively flat wicket that will give them strength, so that’s the vibe in our side,” he said.
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