India's wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant owned the second day of the ongoing final Test against England with his third hundred in the format. He smashed 101 off 118 balls which included 13 fours and 2 sixes.
Pant is the major reason why India ended the second day on a high. At one stage, England looked good enough to take a lead in the first innings with India's middle-order getting dismissed cheaply. But the fightback by Pant made the English bowlers look helpless.
After playing a knock which put India ahead in the game, Pant talked about the game plan and said he was eyeing a partnership with Rohit Sharma (49) after joining him in the middle.
"The plan was just to build a partnership when I joined Rohit, that was the only thing on my mind. I was thinking I would assess the pitch and then play my shots. If the bowlers are bowling well respect it and take the singles, and that was on my mind," he said after the day's play.
India found itself back in the contest again after the seventh wicket partnership between Pant and Washington Sundar. They added 113, while Sundar scored his 3rd Test fifty and became the second-highest scorer for India in the first innings.
"I like to play the situation and I just see the ball and react - that's the USP (unique selling point) of my game. The team plan was to get to 206, past the England total, and then get as many runs as possible after that. You have to premeditate reverse-flicks, but if luck is going your way you can take the odd chance.
"I get the license most of the time, but I have to assess the situation and take the game head on. I like to make the team win and if the crowd is entertained by that, I'm happy," Pant said.
India, who need to avoid a loss in the fourth Test to reach the World Test Championship final, took a lead of 89 runs at the end of the day's play. They scored 294/7 at stumps with Sundar batting on 60 not-out and Akshar Patel on 11 not-out.
