India's wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant on Wednesday (August 25) revealed that he made a change in his batting stance after being told by the umpire. Pant was batting outside the crease to tackle swing which formed footmarks in the pitch’s danger area during the first day at Headingley.
Pant, who came out to bat at number 6, scored 2 runs off 9 deliveries as India's batting order collapsed in the first innings. When the Indian wicket-keeper got out, India were 58/5 in 29.1 overs. They lost their last five wickets for 20 runs and England bowled them out on a total of 78.
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“Because I was standing outside the crease and my front foot was coming into the danger area, so he (the umpire) told me that you can’t stand there,” Pant said during the virtual post-day press conference.
“So, I have (had) to change my stance, but as a cricketer, I don’t have to think too much about that, because it’s everyone who is going to do that, umpires are going to say the same thing. I didn’t do that the next ball and you move on," he added.
Pant was also asked whether he was comfortable batting at number six in England. The southpaw said the current team culture has made them focus on the team's performance so he doesn't think much about individual things.
“See, as a cricketer, there are two options — one you can think of the team, second you can think about your personal performance, so the culture we have created here is that everyone has to think about the team, no matter what’s the personal performances.
“Personal, individual things matter but we don’t focus on that too much as the Indian cricket team,” Pant said.
(With PTI Inputs)