Rishabh Pant Lauded by Pujara for Brilliant 66 Off 69 in Sri Lanka Test

In the first Test between India and Sri Lanka at Galle on August 18, Rishabh Pant scored 66 off 69 balls in the second innings, helping India reach 193 and setting the hosts a target of 372. Former India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara praised the innings, which included four boundaries and two maximums.

India scored 462 in their first innings, while Sri Lanka were bowled for 284, giving India a 178-run lead. The 193 contributed in the second innings increased the margin to a 372-run target for Sri Lanka to chase.

What did Pujara say about Rishabh Pant batting strategy in the second inning?

Pujara recognised shot selection as the most notable improvement between Pant’s two innings in the contest. Rishabh Pant was bowled in the first innings while attempting a huge shot off Keshara Nuwantha with the second new ball, a lapse that Pujara pointed out in stark contrast to his later discipline.

How did Rishabh Pant knock affect India’s position in the first Test at Galle?

Rishabh Pant scored 66, the highest individual score in India’s 193-run second innings. Devdutt Padikkal followed up his 167 in the first innings with a calm 44 off 75 balls, and KL Rahul added 35 off 47 balls as the other prominent performers.

The knock also marked a personal milestone for Rishabh Pant. During his innings, he became the first Indian and fourth overall batsman to reach 100 sixes in Test cricket, doing so in 4,918 balls, the fewest by any batter.

Sri Lanka finished Day 4 with 84 for 4 in their second innings, still needing 288 runs to win with six wickets left. India will try to finish the contest on Day 5.