There were a few people who were expecting India to take the driver’s seat after watching the fiery swing on offer on the Edgbaston’s track during the first session. While James Anderson kickstarted England’s bowling attack by inflicting some serious damage on the Indian side, Rishabh Pant had a different plan in mind. The Indian wicketkeeper-batter led the team's counter-attack and scored a crucial 146-run knock.
As the Indian top-order kept falling like a pack of cards, they needed someone to take the charge and put up a challenging total in the first innings. After the early dismissals of Chetashwar Pujara, Shubman Gill, Hanuma Vihari and Virat Kohli, the side was fumbling at 71/4.
Pant produced a power-packed performance to register the fifth Test century of his career. He smashed a quick 89-ball ton in a tough situation, making his way into the hearts of Indian cricket fans once again.
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After Pant cleared the white line with a dive to breach the 100-run mark, the entire Indian dressing room burst into celebrations. India head coach Rahul Dravid, who kept his experienced eyes on the boys’ performances, was seen animatedly cheering him on. As soon as Pant smashed his century, Dravid stood up from his seat and celebrated with both hands up in the air. The spirited celebration by 'The Wall' has caught the attention of internet users.
The brilliant knock from Pant rescued the Indian side after the early dismissals of Kohli and Shreyas Iyer. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja turned out to be the perfect partner for the southpaw. The duo steered the innings quite composedly and stitched a 200-plus stand, helping the Jasprit Bumrah-led side cross the 300-run mark.
Pant was on the verge of recording 150 when his breathless assault came to an end. While he was batting at 146 against Joe Root, Pant tried to connect an outside-off delivery but only managed to find Zak Crawley at the slip. During his 111-ball 146 innings, the 24-year-old batter smashed as many as 19 fours and 4 maximums at a remarkable strike rate of 131.53. After Pant’s wicket, Jadeja continued the show and was unbeaten at 83 till the end of the day's play. India posted 338 runs at a loss of 7 wickets on the first day.
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