Rishabh Pant was the standout batter for Leicestershire on Day 2 of India's ongoing warm-up game, scoring a fluent 76. His textbook cover-drive off Mohammed Shami was a sight to behold.
Rishabh Pant led Leicestershire’s batting on Day 2 of India’s warm-up game with a fluent 76, helping the hosts get closer to the tourists first innings effort of 246/8 declared.
Pant struck 14 fours and a six during his 87-ball stay, the maximum flying off a top-edge on an attempted lap off Umesh Yadav, helping him get to fifty. However, it was the left-hander’s classy cover-drive off Mohammed Shami that stood out of the lot, prompting tones of appreciation from the viewers.
Shami, having already bagged two wickets in his new-ball burst, including that of Cheteshwar Pujara for a duck, employed a round-the-wicket tactic against the left-hander. The fourth ball of the 27th over was delivered full well outside the off stump, and Pant just played a flourishing cover-drive, almost Kumar Sangakkara like, and held his pose as he watched the ball racing towards the fence. The stroke came during a 58-run stand with Rishi Patel (34), which lifted Leicestershire from 71/4.
🤩 | A 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭 from @RishabhPant17! 👏
Pant cover drives his @BCCI teammate Shami beautifully for four runs. 🇮🇳
🦊 LEI 138/5
𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌: https://t.co/3NAp7sxure👈
🦊 #IndiaTourMatch | #LEIvIND | #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/HqhR9Hfty9
— Leicestershire Foxes 🏏 (@leicsccc) June 24, 2022
Pant’s innings would be ended by a mistimed hoick off Ravindra Jadeja in the 46th over, not before he’d taken his team past the 200-run mark. He received a pat on his back by his fellow Indian teammates as he headed back to the pavilion. Roman Walker, who had bagged a five-for on Day 1 scored a crucial 34.
Earlier, Shami and Mohammed Siraj reaped rewards with some fine bowling with the new ball, after India declared at an overnight 246/8. Shami had Leicestershire skipper Samuel Evans caught in the slips for 1, before he castled Cheteshwar Pujara for a duck, giving his India teammate a friendly send-off.
Siraj dismissed opener Louis Kimber (31) and Joey Evison (22) after coming in as the second change, before Pant began his counterattack.
Leicestershire were 236/8 at the time of writing, with Nathan Bowley and Will Davis at the crease.
