English skipper Joe Root heaped praise for explosive Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and said that the way latter bats makes it difficult for the bowlers to build pressure on him.
Team India on Saturday thumped England by an innings and 25 runs in the fourth Test match to grasp the four-match Test series 3-1 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
Replying to England’s first innings total of 205, Team India was in a spot of bother as they were reduced to 146/4 before Rishabh Pant stitched an important 113-run partnership with Washington Sundar, who scored 96*, and notched up his third Test century to put Team India in a commanding position.
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The 23-year-old's innings of 101 runs off 118 balls had two halves. He got to his half-century in 82 balls and then the second fifty came in just 33 balls, the highlight of which was a reverse sweep off James Anderson.
Addressing the press conference after losing the Test series, English skipper Joe Root credited Team India for their all-around performance and admitted that England needs to find ways to be better in spin-friendly conditions in the future.
"It was disappointing, I will give credit to India as again they out-skilled us, they have definitely out-skilled us. They bowled really well and batted well too. We have to try and find out ways to be better in similar conditions in the future," Joe Root said.
Root while praising the partnership between Washington Sundar and Rishabh Pant said that the way Pant bats makes it difficult for the bowlers to build pressure on him.
"It was a frustrating way to finish the game. We were very much in the hunt and credit to Washington and Rishab for that outstanding partnership made it very difficult for us. The way he (Rishabh) bats makes it difficult for the bowlers to build pressure on him. It requires skills to pull off a reverse sweep in a Test and it was very brave of him," he said.
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Root admitted that England failed to capitalize on the moments as India did. He gave the example of Rishabh Pant's game-changing performance in the 4th Test to expound on the same.
"I do think there were periods in the game where India managed to grab the opportunities they had and generally in low scoring Test matches that is a difference. Look at this game India was 100 out for five wickets and Rishabh walked out and made that opportunity count for some wonderful moments,"
Root further complimented Pant as a difficult player to save runs against. He remarked India's experience in home conditions ultimately tipped the visitors for the series.
"He (Rishabh) is such a difficult player to keep quiet. We came across some brilliant batting at that stage. So I do think that their experience in these conditions probably just outplayed us and was the difference and a big difference in fact in this series,"
With this win, Team India sealed their spot in the inaugural edition of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, where they will take on New Zealand.
(ANI inputs)
