Former Indian cricketer, Madan Lal has advised young wicketkeeper-batsman, Rishabh Pant, to spend more time in the middle and not just look to hit every ball, saying there is no point in “jumping here and there and gifting wicket” after he hit a half-century in the ongoing fourth Test against England.
The left-hander has not had a good Test series so far against England, though he managed to bring up his first half-century on the tour, scoring 50 off 106 on Sunday to help Team India post 466 on the board in the second innings and Lal said Pant just need to play this way and keep the momentum going.
Madan Lal told IANS: “Yesterday he (Pant) applied himself very well in the second innings. In the first three Tests, he didn't play well. He is an exciting player and very valuable too… needs to spend some time in the middle. No point in jumping here and there and gifting wicket.”
He added, “Getting out to some brilliant delivery is fine but gifting a wicket is not good. I liked the way he played yesterday. This is how you play Test cricket or say any format. He must keep this momentum going.”
At the stump on day four, England was at 77 with no loss and still needed another 291 runs on the final day to win the fourth Test and Lal said the game is currently sixty percent in favor of India, as he didn’t rule out the hosts' chances, but said they need to do something special to win the game at The Oval.
He further explained, “England needs to do something special to chase down this total. But they have started really well and if they manage to go on till lunch on Day 5 without losing any wicket then there will be trouble (for India). The wicket is fine and I would look to take quick wickets.
Chasing 271 on the final day is not an easy thing, but everything is possible in cricket. Currently, I would say the match is 60-40 in favor of India. 60 percent India and 40 percent England. India knows how important it is to win this Test because, in the final encounter, it will be really difficult to bounce back.”
The former cricketer lauded Rohit Sharma for his brilliant hundred on Sunday, saying his maiden overseas Test hundred would be remembered for a long time.
He signed off by saying, “He (Rohit) is of a different class. He adapted to the situation very well. His knock, when India needed it the most, would be remembered for long. Letting him open the innings also boosted his confidence and helped him.”
(With IANS Inputs)
