'More than skill, I admire the temperament' - Ajay Jadeja lauds Rishabh Pant's crucial knock in 2nd WI T20I

Rishabh Pant played a great knock under pressure during the second T20I between India and West Indies at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Friday, February 18. Pant’s quickfire knock of 52 runs from 28 balls turned out to be a match-winning one as the Men In Blue took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. The wicketkeeper-batter was also involved in a 76-run stand for the fifth wicket with Venkatesh Iyer who scored 33 runs from 18 balls.

Meanwhile, former India batter Ajay Jadeja has come forward and lauded the southpaw by saying that it is the most mature innings he has ever seen. At the same time, he also gave a special mention to the Delhi stumper’s temperament. The ex-cricketer was also impressed with the fact that Pant and Iyer worked in tandem having scored 76 runs from 35 deliveries were instrumental in the Indian team posting a stiff total on the board.

It was probably the most mature innings I’ve seen from Rishabh Pant: Ajay Jadeja

“Today was fabulous. More than skill, I admire the temperament that he showed. Guys batting at 4, 5, 6, 7, when they start with a boundary, they have a couple of balls to take their time and get into a better mindset. Throughout those 28 balls, he was in a perfect mindset,” Jadeja said on Cricbuzz.

“He was joined with Venkatesh Iyer. The other problem I had with him is that sometimes, he (Pant) thinks he is the only one who has to hold the innings together. Today, they (Pant and Iyer) played as partners – 35 balls 76 (runs), it’s (the partnership) just not dependent on Rishabh Pant. He’s got 17-ball 36, he’s got a partner who scored 18-ball 33 as well”, he added.

“What that does is that it takes the pressure off the batsman and puts pressure back on the bowler. It’s not only you who has to hit the big shots now. Now, the bowler can’t play with you anymore, he can’t bowl a certain bowl which doesn’t allow you to hit a boundary and bowl differently to the other guy. It was probably the most mature innings I’ve seen from Rishabh Pant in the last six months,” the cricketer-turned cricket pundit added.

Chasing 187, the West Indies were reduced to 59/2 in the ninth over before fighting knocks from Nicholas Pooran (62) and Rovman Powell (68*) nearly helped them in doing the unthinkable. Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled an excellent penultimate over giving away just four runs and also taking a wicket. Defending 24 runs in the final over, medium-pacer Harshal Patel did concede two straight sixes but, held his nerves as India came out on top by 8 runs.