{ "id": "71122", "author": "23", "cnmid": "0", "title": "IND vs ENG: Rishabh Pant Returns To A Test XI At Home After Two Years", "lang": "en", "series": "435", "cup_year": "2021", "article_type": "General", "excerpt": "India has decided to continue with in-form batsman-wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant for the first Test against England starting here on Friday as he is a \"match-winner\", said India skipper Virat Kohli on Thu", "subtype": "", "editor1": "

India has decided to continue with in-form batsman-wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant for the first Test against England starting here on Friday as he is a "match-winner<\/strong>", said India skipper Virat Kohli on Thursday. This means that 36-year-old Wriddhiman Saha, who has been keeping wickets at home, will sit out, though he is in the squad.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Pant, 23, last played a home Test over two years ago, against West Indies in Hyderabad.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Pant's match-saving and match-winning performance in the third Test in Sydney and in the fourth in Brisbane against Australia last month have guaranteed a place for him in the Test squad. A decent performance by Pant could well signal curtains for Saha.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

"Yes, Rishabh Pant will start and don the gloves tomorrow. He had impact performances in Australia recently and is in a good headspace and we want him to build on this along with him improving all aspects of the game which will happen with more game-time and the more confidence he gets while playing those games,<\/strong>" said Kohli on the eve of the first Test, to be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium here.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Pant, a left-handed batsman, had made 97 on the fifth day of the third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground in a drawn game and scored an unbeaten 89 on the fifth day of the fourth and final Test to help India to victory.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Kohli said that the team was looking at Pant, who last played a home Test in October 2018, like the one for the future because he has proven his ability to win matches for India.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

"That is how we look at Rishabh. He's come along nicely in Australia after the IPL. He wasn't part of the white-ball squad but kept working [and], worked hard on his fitness and his game. And he got the results eventually which we are all happy to see. He is someone we have backed quite a lot and for good reason,<\/strong>" he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

"He will continue to be backed because he is an impact player. Along with his hard work, he can be a very, very consistent match-winner for India and someone who the opposition will definitely be wary of every time they play against India<\/strong>."<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Pant's place in playing XI came up for debate in the third Test in Australia after he dropped opener Will Pucovski twice in the first innings. However, he roared back with a batting performance on the final day of the match with a stroke filled 97. He then scored a match-winning unbeaten 89 in the fourth and final Test in Brisbane.<\/p>\r\n", "image": "https:\/\/img.cricketnmore.com\/uploads\/2021\/02\/indian-wicketkeeper-rishabh-pant-sang-a-song-behind-the-wickets-video-got-viral.jpg", "alt_img": "Cricket Image for IND vs ENG: Rishabh Pant Returns To A Test XI At Home After Two Years", "alt_title": "IND vs ENG: Rishabh Pant Returns To A Test XI At Home After Two Years", "image1": "", "video": "", "seo_title": "IND vs ENG: Rishabh Pant Returns To A Test XI At Home After Two Years On Cricketnmore", "seo_desc": "India has decided to continue with in-form batsman-wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant for the first Test against England starting here on Friday as he is a \"match-winner\", said India skipper Virat Kohli on Thu", "seo_keywords": "Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Test Cricket, India vs England Cricket 2021, India cricket news", "tag": "", "tagging": "Virat Kohli,Rishabh Pant,Test Cricket,India vs England Cricket 2021,India cricket news,", "status": "1", "img_rpt": "0", "google": "1", "standout": "0", "edapps": "0", "pulse": "0", "no_index": "0", "feed": "0", "fixture": "0", "slug": "ind-vs-eng-rishabh-pant-returns-to-a-test-xi-at-home-after-two-years", "user_id": "0", "read_count": "0", "ians_date": "0000-00-00", "ians_time": "00:00:00", "server_time": "0000-00-00 00:00:00", "trash": "0", "view_count": "1281", "page_break": "0", "instant_articles": "1", "auto_link": "1", "created": "2021-02-04 20:18:49", "updated": "2021-02-04 20:18:49", "img_from": "Rishabh Pant (Image Source: Google)", "img_source": "", "schedule_publish": "0000-00-00 00:00:00", "news_keywords": "England Tour Of India 2021, India vs England, Test Cricket, T-20 Cricket, One-Day Series, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Test Squad", "livescore_text": "", "livescore_link": "", "btn_text": "", "resend_feed": "0", "google_feed": "0", "read_more": "1", "posted_by": "27", "jio_date": "2021-02-04 20:18:49", "scheduled": "0", "news_now": "1", "breaking_news": "0", "google_date": "2021-02-04 20:18:49", "featured": "0", "pred_match_id": null, "article_content_type": null, "england_cricket": "0", "link": "https:\/\/www.cricketnmore.com\/cricket-news\/ind-vs-eng-rishabh-pant-returns-to-a-test-xi-at-home-after-two-years-71122" }