Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja rescued a tricky situation together and ensured Team India ended Day 1 of the fifth Test at Edgbaston against England right on top. Pant (146 off 111 balls) and Jadeja (83* off 163 balls) added 222 runs for the sixth wicket, which is India's highest sixth wicket partnership against England.
India were in a precarious situation at 98/5 and it looked like the visitors would struggle to reach the 200-run mark. However, Rishabh Pant launched an incredible counter-attack that brought him his fifth Test hundred. Jadeja also gave him great support and his presence will give India a sense of calm ahead of Day 2.
Fans on Twitter were absolutely thrilled to see both Pant and Jadeja make an absolute mockery of the England bowling attack. Some also trolled England for looking absolutely helpless despite having India on the ropes at one point.
Here are some of the reactions:
Ofcourse Stokes will cheer any overthrows
I am not even thinking about 3-1. We know what Root can do and looking at Bairstow's form, he might do a Rishabh Pant himself so this can be one of those high-scoring games. We need to bowl well. Just hope our top order does better in the second innings.#ENGvIND
What a day. What a comeback. This is Team India. When our backs are against the wall, we find a whole new spirit to fight back and push on. Take a bow, Rishabh Pant and Ravi Jadeja. You superstars, what a day of test cricket! Thrilled for the rest of the days. #ENGvIND
I would say it's been India's day 338-7Need around 40-50 runs more
Jadeja batting with #DravidBall approach.Pant batting with #BazBall approach.We got all bases covered.
India 98-5England thinking of getting India all out under 200. #ENGvINDMeanwhile Rishabh Pant & Jadeja : 🤣https://t.co/Oxma7oNfxt
Note to self: Then again, must not forget that Jadeja has more than held up his side of the bargain. While Pant's madness must be appreciated, Jadeja's cool head has been a vital part of the stand too.
Apart from the great bowling unit, the emergence of Pant and Jadeja with the bat has been key to India's successes. They're good enough to capitalise when the ball gets old and the bowlers get tired, even if the top order succumbs to dicey conditions.
Jadeja and Pant are now India's second-most successful Test pair in the last 12 months (on runs) in only 5 innings! They have the best average among all pairs (min. 150 runs). Rahul and Rohit top the list of most runs. Shows how terrible the middle order has been.
We have all talked a lot about Pant but look at Jadeja man, what batting. Man has put a price on his wicket refusing to get out yet playing a few drives here and there to get the scoreboard running. Brilliant. 👏#ENGvIND
Pant and Jadeja are our Daryll Mitchell and Tom Blundell but since last 2-3 years
Imagine disrespecting Jadeja and Pant as test cricketers. One is already an ATG and the other one is on his way to be.
Each and every run from Pant and Jadeja has actually meant so much more given the situations they have been coming in recently. Both floating in from 5 to 7, rebuilding, counter striking, tiring the opposition, doing so many roles apart from being so good in their primary jobs.
I'm convinced that the simple fact of being left-handed has added at least five runs to the Test averages of Pant and Jadeja.
Jadeja now has the joint 2nd most 50+ scores, 3rd best average and has scored the 4th most runs for India in this cycle of the WTC. Another MVP szn for Sir.
Amazing how Rishab Pant has cracked the test cricket formula .. Looks so much more at home in this format.. Maybe a change of roles or batting order in white ball, but for now, another calculated counter attack to applaud.. And Jadeja, just too assured in that role #ENGvIND
Not just him, man made Jadeja to become loose too. 😂😂 Guy started to edge the ball a few times. twitter.com/Ben_Wisden/sta…
Ravindra Jadeja in the World Test Championship (2021-23) has a better batting average than Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, Steve Smith, David Warner and Kane Williamson during the same phase. #ENGvIND
Said it before, but every time I watch Jadeja bat I think he looks like he should be averaging 45-50 in test cricket with 15 tons.
Jadeja is almost undroppable in SENA tests now. Jadeja, Bumrah, Pant walk in the 11 these days irrespective of the conditions
Jadeja as a batsman Test cricket looks invincible. Hardly seen him play knocks with edges or with many plays and misses. One of the most controlled batsmen in world cricket especially around the off-stump.
How badly did we miss Jadeja's batting in SA. Another important knock coming in at a difficult time. He has been doing this time and again, both home and away since Oval 2018. The talks over his place in Indian Test XI are silly regardless of where India play.
And the sword is out, Rajput boy Jadeja proving why he is one of the best all rounders India ever had in limited overs and test cricket. Go champ go! #EngvsInd https://t.co/Y6JqRBTZlg
He may be bold but he bats in italics https://t.co/U2DNVCFUJu
Only #RishabhPant has the ability to change Rahul into IndiraNagar ka Gunda!#RahulDravid #INDvsENG https://t.co/B3uTFOdqKx
England losing more WTC points because the captain can’t get his foot behind the line will be silly and therefore funny
Bazball se zyada No ball hai aaj
Got to love Pant, even when he’s murdering us. Such an entertainer. 🔥🔥@RishabhPant17 #ENGvIND
*Pant and Jadeja Putting a great show*England team and Ben stokes : https://t.co/H15CVWeDUT
Pant is in a league of his own. The most entertaining cricketer in the world, this is a special one. https://t.co/PgGTjgxUd9
India finished Day 1 of the fifth Test on 338/7 with Jadeja batting 83* with Mohammed Shami.
Rishabh Pant took special liking to Jack Leach
Rishabh Pant against left-arm spinners has always been a favorable match-up for the southpaw. Leach had picked up a 10-wicket haul in his last Test and was high on confidence.
However, the way the 24-year-old took down the left-arm spinner was simply ridiculous. The ease with which he found boundaries and launched some of them into the stands completely deflated Leach and other bowlers.
England skipper Ben Stokes' body language was probably enough to suggest what kind of damage Pant had done to their spirits. While the southpaw was fiery at one end, Jadeja was as cool as a cucumber at the other.
The 33-year-old ensured that he kept one end tight and didn't let the England bowlers go through his defense. The reaction of coach Rahul Dravid after Pant reached his hundred summed up how important the partnership between the two left-handers was.
Jadeja would still like to get to his hundred and more importantly get India as close to 400 as possible. England will certainly need to pick up quick wickets on Day 2 to ensure they don't put too much pressure on their batters.
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