Sunil Gavaskar outlines 'most impressive thing' about Pant's batting as India wins series

India's cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar is all impressed with Rishabh Pant who in the third ODI played an explosive knock of 78 runs. India on March 28 clinched the three-match one-day series after defeating England by a narrow margin of 7 runs. Having lost the toss yet again, India was invited to bat first. Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan gave India a solid start, however, wickets started to tumble after Adil Rashid dismissed Vice-captain Rohit Sharma. 

Then, the Indian inning was stabilised by wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant and all-rounder Hardik Pandya. Continuing his good form from the second ODI where he smashed 77 runs in 40 balls,  Rishabh Pant played a smart innings to score 78 runs in 62 balls, with five fours, and four sixes in his innings. Pant missed out on his maiden ton after he nicked a ball to keeper Jos Buttler on Sam Curran's ball, but he received praise from Sunil Gavaskar for his display with the bat.

'Waiting for the right ball to play the bog shot': 

Speaking to Star Sports after the end of the Indian innings, Sunil Gavaskar said that he is very impressed with Rishabh Pant as he carrying his good form in the past three-four months. He is not looking to slog every ball which he used to do in his early cricketing career and he is playing intelligent and smart cricket. "He is waiting for the right ball to come when the ball is tossed up and within his range, that's when he is playing the big shot," said Gavaskar. 

Gavaskar also praised the shot selection and technique of Rishabh Pant. Gavaskar said that Pant used the bottom hand to a good effect and therefore he is making sure to hit the ball in vacant areas. "When he is not looking to hit the ball into the stands, he is hitting it between the fielders. That has been the most impressive thing about his batting," added Gavaskar. 

Rishabh Pant during the early phase of his career had to face a lot of criticism for his way of batting and throwing his wicket away. But, now Sunil Gavaskar has said that the wicket-keeper batsman has learned from his mistake and he is playing according to the situation. After Shreyas Iyer was ruled out of the ODI series due to a shoulder injury, skipper Virat Kohli included Pant in the playing XI from the second ODI. Rishabh Pant grabbed this opportunity with both hands and played two vital knocks of 77 and 78 for India. 

(Image Credits: PTI/@RishabhPant17/Twitter)