Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill stitched a 167-run stand during India's second innings at Chepauk.
Rishabh Pant opened up on his healthy off-field bond with Shubman Gill as the reason behind their successful partnership in the first India versus England Test match at Chepauk.
India outplayed Bangladesh in all facets of the game to register an emphatic 280-run victory in the opening Test.
Pant and Gill played a crucial role in the win as the duo stitched a 167-run partnership in the second innings, helping the hosts set a colossal 515-run target for the visitors.
While Pant scored 109 off 128 balls with 13 boundaries and 4 sixes, Gill remained unbeaten on 119 off 176 deliveries (10 fours and 4 sixes).
"I think one thing that I understood over a period of time is that when you have a great relationship outside the field or off the field, it really helps to bat with that guy. I think when you have a great bond outside the field, you understand how that other person is thinking. How the game is moving around, and we were just having fun, having fun chats. Talking about the game very little bit, but at the end of the day we knew what we really wanted to do. We were just trying to be ourselves and relax and just wanted to stitch a great partnership," Pant said in a video shared by the BCCI on social media.
The Chennai Test marked Rishabh Pant's first in the longest format since his horrific car accident in December 2022, and the southpaw made his presence felt immediately.
With his sixth century in the format, Pant equalled the legendary MS Dhoni for the most tons by an Indian wicketkeeper in Test cricket.
Rishabh Pant admitted that he was very nervous on his return to Test cricket. "I mean I was very nervous. I was very jittery. There was a fire inside me that I wanted to make it happen and eventually I did it. I am happy but not like thinking too much about it, but still happy. After what I did yesterday."
The swashbuckling left-hander also talked about his hilarious act of helping out the Bangladesh team to set the field during the opening Test.
"I think my understanding of the game is that cricket should improve wherever you play. So, I was just trying to help the other team that 'you can set a fielder here' and it was amazing actually, I really enjoyed it," he said.
With this victory, India took an unassailable 1-0 lead in the two-match series against Bangladesh. The second Test is slated to be held in Kanpur from September 27.