IND vs SA | Rishabh Pant scored runs when team needed them most and that is important, says Paras Mhambrey
After Rishabh Pant scored a century in the second innings of the Cape Town Test, India bowling coach, Paras Mhambrey has said that the left-hand batsman got runs when the team needed them most. Pant scored an unbeaten 100 from 139 balls, and registered the fourth century of his Test career.
India have set a target of 212 runs in the second innings for South Africa in the third and final Test of the three-match series in Cape Town. South Africa needs 111 more runs to secure a series win, while India will be looking forward to clinching the remaining eight wickets to register their maiden test series victory in the rainbow nation.
India wicket-keeper batsman, Rishabh Pant scored a brilliant century, and played a key role for India in setting a target of 212 for the opposition in the second innings. The left-hander scored unbeaten 100 runs from 139 balls, and claimed the fourth century of his Test career during the India batting innings on Day 3 of the series decider.
Reflecting on Pantâs innings, Indiaâs bowling coach Paras Mhambrey has said that the 24-year0old got runs for the team at a crucial stage, which is important.Â
"It was a fabulous innings that really got us back in the game. From a personal perspective there is pressure on him (Pant), obviously in a couple of innings didn't get runs but getting runs at a crucial stage for the team, that is important," Mhambrey said after the end of third day's play.
"And it really set the game (up) nicely for us and I think really happy with the way he played. It wasn't an easy wicket to bat on but (he) showed a lot of character out there, really pleased," he added.
India had a poor start to the third day's play in Cape Town as they lost the wickets of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane very early in the first session. However, Rishabh Pant along with Virat Kohli steadied the innings for the visitors, and helped their side from an early collapse. Pant partnered for a 94-run along with the Indian captain for the fifth wicket at a crucial juncture in the innings.
Mhambrey said that Pant responded to the situation very well in the second innings at Newlands.
"At that stage, you wanted a partnership ideally and you have someone like Virat (Kohli) at the other end, you wanted to stitch a nice partnership, which was going on. At that stage, as a batsman, you will (have to) sometimes take a back seat as well and assess the conditions and say what is the right thing at that stage. In terms of going ahead for the game and in that sense he (Pant) batted very well."Â he explained.
"Once you lost Virat, he had to take that leading role and which he did and then stitched partnership with the tail-enders as well. He batted very sensibly, given us a great opportunity to win a test from here." Mhambrey was hopeful that conditions would allow his pacers a fair chance for fight and all they need is to just hit the right lengths," Mhambrey added.
Mhambrey further opined that it is a challenging surface in Cape Town and the Indian bowlers will have to bowl in the right areas and should be patient on Day 4.
"It is not an easy wicket, I think there is a little awkward bounce on a patch, which has been created, but it is not going to be an easy wicket,"Â Mhambrey said.
"We still know that even today in the later stages, a couple of balls did kick up, hit the glove, hit the chest. Keep it simple, hit the right areas and be patient about it," he added.