IND vs ENG Test: Ben Stokes can't stop gushing over Rishabh Pant's strokeplay
The Times of India in England:
The last time
Rishabh Pant
batted in a Test match at Edgbaston, back in 2022, he scored 203 runs, with 146 out of them coming off 111 balls in a magical counter-attack in the first innings. That performance came when England, under captain
Ben Stokes
and Brendon McCullum, were starting to set a template for an ultra-aggressive brand of Test cricket which would come to be known as 'Bazball'.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
SUBSCRIBE NOW!
No wonder Stokes' face lit up when the English media mentioned Pant's name in the pre-match media briefing on Tuesday. Pant may have hurt England with twin centuries in the first Test but that has only enhanced the unapologetic admiration Stokes has for him. 'Even though he's my opposition, I absolutely love watching Rishabh play cricket. I love the way he takes it on in all formats of the game,' Stokes gushed, the wide grin reminiscent of his expression after Pant charged at him off the second ball in the first innings at Headingley.
Stokes chose to highlight the unrelenting scrutiny that follows Pant because of his audacious batting style.
Poll
How do you rate Rishabh Pant's batting style in Test cricket?
Ultra-aggressive
Cautious
Balanced
Unpredictable
'He's got a bit of a stick in his time. But when you let that type of talent be free, the sort of thing that happened last week can happen,' Stokes said. 'Credit to him for getting two hundreds in the game. But we know we're going to get our chances with the way that Rishabh plays.
'On a different day, it could have looked a little bit different if one of those had gone straight up and to hand.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn
IC Markets
Đăng ký
Undo
We know what he brings to the Indian team. But I really enjoy watching Rishabh play,' Stokes said while adding: 'There's always pressure on the shoulders of international sportsmen but playing for India, especially in cricket, there's probably a bit more on any other nation.'
Team India All Smiles at Edgbaston Nets | Gill, Pant, Kuldeep Lead the Vibes
Moeen, Flintoff give pep talks
Over the last two days,
Moeen Ali
and Andrew Flintoff visited the English practice sessions. Moeen was seen spending a considerable amount of time with off-spinner Shoaib Bashir on Monday afternoon while Flintoff spent time with Jofra Archer.
Moeen has tormented India in the past with his off-spin in a couple of series in 2014 and 2018. With the pitch expected to aid spin as the Test wears on and Moeen being a local here, Bashir looked locked in when he was taken aside for some technical talk.
Ben Stokes press conference: On Jasprit Bumrah 'problem', Rishabh Pant battle and more
'It's been a constant thing with us, getting former England players and let the players to talk to them. I think it's great for Bash (Bashir) too. They've never met until yesterday, which I found amazing. Bash was absolutely buzzing that he got to spend time with Moeen Ali yesterday.
'So, the more times that we can get people like that into the dressing room to offer their advice to specific individuals, the better,' Stokes said.
Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
8 minutes ago
- Mint
Winning at Edgbaston will be one of my 'happiest memories' whenever I retire: Shubman Gill
Birmingham, Jul 7 (PTI) Leading India to their first ever Test win over England at Edgbaston will remain one of his "happiest memories" whenever the time comes to call it quits, said India captain Shubman Gill revelling in the resounding series-levelling victory here. For the 25-year-old whose captaincy stint began with India losing the series opener at Leeds, Gill underlined an all-round show from the team to make a strong comeback that was also the team's first win over the hosts in Edgbaston. "This is something that I would cherish for the rest of my life; probably whenever I would retire, I think this would be one of my most happiest memories," Gill said in a video shared by BCCI. "I was meant to take the last catch of this match, and (I am) very content and happy that how we were able to finish this match. "(There are) three more important matches to go; a quick turnaround after this one and I think it's good because the momentum is now with us." Gill said Indian players took responsibility for their performances. "The way everyone came in contributed with the ball, with the bat, those are huge positives," he said. "When there are different people stepping up and different people performing at different stages, that's what you want. That's what makes a champion team, and those were some great signs for us." In his dressing room speech, the Indian skipper lauded his teammates. "We have worked very hard to win this position. Over the past six to eight months, I knew how hard it was to be able to get a Test win, especially to do it here where we haven't won a Test match ever," he said. "I just want to say that I'm very proud of you, everyone, because I think on day one, we mentioned it's going to take each and every one of us to win a Test match, especially here in this country and everyone contributed," Gill added. Mohammed Siraj said Akash Deep was meant to get a five-wicket haul. Siraj's 6/99 also proved instrumental in India's win. "To be honest it was an important match of an important series. As a player, it feels great to create such memorable (moments) and history," Siraj said. "Whenever he was bowling, I was positioned at mid-off. I was telling him don't just go after taking wickets, keep bowling in one area and you will get the wickets. "Jaisa first innings me bola tha, agar uski kismat me hai, to panja milega. Second innings, next day, dekho panja mil chuka hai (I had said in the first innings that if he has a five-for in his fate, he will get it. Look, he got one in the second innings),' an elated Siraj added. Siraj said he would rate this as the third biggest Test win of his career. "This is the third best match of my life. First was Gabba, then Lord's and now this. I cannot describe this feeling," he said. Akash Deep added, "The biggest thing is that I took five wickets and our team won. It is a proud moment for me that I contributed in the team's win. I won't be as happy had I taken a maiden five-for and the game ended in a draw." India vice-captain Rishabh Pant said this team wants to "defy all the past", referring to the side's underwhelming overseas record. "The last time we came here, the task was incomplete at Edgbaston and this time, so happy that we were able to achieve it," he said. "One thing that we always talk about is how we can learn as a team and defy all the past, whatever we have done but bringing this team together and making it to a different level, that's is all we need."
Hindustan Times
11 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Shubman Gill ‘made Bazball lick dust': India captain's historic Edgbaston high joins Gabba, Cape Town folklore
Shubman Gill and Co. bounced back in emphatic fashion to completely outclass England at Edgbaston to level the series 1-1. The Indian team made a statement at Edgbaston after losing the first Test: they were not going to be pushovers and thrashed England at their fortress by a mammoth 336-run to stamp their authority. The Bazball was of no effectiveness when India set a massive 608-run target in the fourth innings, and England were all out for 271, courtesy a six-fer by Akash Deep, which dismantled the English batting line-up known for their counter-attacking approach. Shubman Gill led India to a historic win at Edgbaston.(AP) Shubman Gill put on a show for the ages, dismantling England's bowling with twin gems — a marathon 269 in the first innings and a fluent 161 in the second. His poise, shot selection, and dominance across both knocks anchored India's batting and underlined his rise as a world-class Test batter. On the bowling front, Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep stepped up in Jasprit Bumrah's absence. Siraj's six-wicket burst in the first innings set the tone, and Akash matched it with a fiery six-for in the second, flattening England's resistance and sealing India's emphatic win. Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra discussed India's emphatic performance and pointed out the stellar efforts of Gill, Siraj, and Akash Deep in scripting history. "It was both record-breaking and record-making. History has been created at the Edgbaston ground. Captain (Shubman) Gill had laid the foundation, with a mountain of runs. More than 1000 runs, the first time ever in the history of Indian Test cricket, and then if it was Miyan Magic (Mohammed Siraj) in the first innings, it was Akash Deep in the second innings," Chopra said on his YouTube channel. England's outing in the second Test at Edgbaston ended in disappointment, as they slumped to a heavy 336-run defeat at the hands of a commanding Indian team. Despite moments of flair that reflected their trademark 'Bazball' style, the hosts failed to sustain pressure across sessions. Individual efforts stood out, but collectively, they were comprehensively outclassed by an Indian side that excelled with both bat and ball to level the series in emphatic fashion. 'We're conquering frontiers': Aakash Chopra Chopra pointed out India's recent record of breaching overseas fortresses in red-ball cricket with iconic wins in Cape Town, Perth, Brisbane and now Birmingham. "We had never won at Edgbaston to date, but we have done that now. If we see the last few overseas wins, we have created history every time. We had never won in Cape Town, the Optus Stadium in Perth, and the Gabba, but we have won there now. We are conquering frontiers we hadn't conquered thus far. We made Bazball lick dust. This win needs to be celebrated. We have outplayed the opposing team in every department," he added. Meanwhile, skipper Shubman has confirmed that leading pacer Jasprit Bumrah will return to the playing XI for the Lord's Test, where they will look to take a 2-1 lead in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
Time of India
16 minutes ago
- Time of India
'Be in love with the grind': Shubman Gill's post sums up India's historic Edgbaston triumph
India captain Shubman Gill (Pic credit: Gill's X post) In the aftermath of India's record-breaking 336-run victory over England at Edgbaston, Indian captain Shubman Gill led the chorus of celebrations with a heartfelt social media post that captured the mood of a triumphant dressing room. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'Be in love with the grind and the game will give back,' Gill wrote on X, sharing a carousel of pictures from the historic win. The post resonated strongly with fans and teammates alike, reflecting the grit and composure that defined India's clinical performance in the second Test. Poll What was the key factor in India's historic win at Edgbaston? Shubman Gill's batting performance Akash Deep's 10-wicket haul Team unity and morale England's poor performance Gill, who smashed 269 and 161 in the two innings, not only became the first batter in Test history to score 250 and 150 in the same match but also registered his maiden win as Test captain - and India's first-ever at Edgbaston in nine attempts dating back to 1967. Shubman Gill, Gautam Gambhir shut critics with thumping win over England The win, which levelled the five-match series at 1-1, was set up by Gill's remarkable batting and sealed by Akash Deep's sensational 10-wicket haul. The young pacer, stepping in for rested spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, was among the many players who echoed Gill's sentiments online. 'History made at Edgbaston -- grit, glory, and a game we'll never forget. Serving the nation with pride,' wrote Akash Deep on Instagram. While opener Yashasvi Jaiswal shared, 'Wonderful game, really enjoyed everything with everyone.' Veteran batter KL Rahul summed it up succinctly: 'One for the record books, Edgbaston.' The unity and positivity radiating from India's post-match social media showed a team brimming with belief. With momentum now on their side, the focus shifts to Lord's, where the third Test begins July 10 - and where Shubman Gill is set to lead India into another defining battle. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
