Leeds: India wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant admitted that the batting order could have applied better on a pitch that was soft and helped the seam bowlers early on. India were skittled out for 78 on the first day of the third Test on Wednesday as England moved to 120 without loss at stumps on Day One.
“I think it is part and parcel of the game. As a batting unit, you need to give your 100 per cent each and every day. But sometimes it doesn’t go well,” said Pant to media in a virtual interaction on Wednesday.
“In the morning, the wicket was slightly on the softer side and they bowled in good areas. We could have applied much better but you can learn from it and move on. That is the only thing you can do as a cricketer. You learn from your mistake and improve in your next innings,” he added.
The 23-year-old said that conditions had become friendly for batting later on during the day.
“They (England) took the heavy roller. The wicket was much more settled down [when they batted] and they batted nicely also. In the first innings, when we batted, the wicket was slightly soft and they bowled in good areas. But they could have applied much better but as I said we are going to learn from mistakes and move on,” said Pant further.
The left-hander played down the pressure created on him by India’s batting failures and said that failure of batsmen like Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane is an opportunity for him to create his own niche.
Pant, however, could score only two on Wednesday as India collapsed after yet another failure for Pujara, Kohli and Rahane.
“As a cricketer, I don’t think in that manner [that I am under pressure]. As a cricketer I think that if the top-order collapses sometimes, you get an opportunity. I call it an opportunity because if you do well in that situation and bail your team out of that situation you are going to do wonders in life,” said Pant further.
“As a cricketer, I see it as an opportunity and move on. I think we have take everything on our chin. That is what matters,” said Pant further.
