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Rishabh Pant was seen setting field for Bangladesh during India’s 2nd inning. (Picture Credit: Screengrab)
Pant was seen setting the field for Bangladesh during the morning session of the third day’s play of the first Test, which India won by 280 runs on Sunday.
Rishabh Pant made a memorable return to Test cricket for India. The 26-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman, who was out of action for almost 15 months due to multiple injuries suffered in a road accident, scored a century in the second innings of the first Test against Bangladesh, which India won by 280 runs in Chennai on Sunday (September 22). During his stay at the crease in the second inning, Pant faced a total of 280 balls and, with the help of 13 fours and four sixes, scored 109 runs.
During the third day’s play of the series opener at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Pant was even seen setting the field for the Bangladeshi team, and the video of it went viral on the internet.
The stump mic caught him saying, “One fielder here,” as he pointed in the direction of mid-wicket. Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto acknowledged his suggestion and moved one of his teammates to the same position.
On Sunday, after India won the match, Pant was asked by former Indian cricketer Saba Karim the reason behind his viral act on the field, to which he replied by saying that to make the game more competitive, he was trying to help the visitors with their field placement.
“When Taskin Ahmed was coming to bowl in the second inning, why were you setting the field for him? Who is the Bangladesh captain, Shanto or Rishabh Pant?” Saba asked Pant.
“Ajay (Jadeja) Bhai and I often talk about how cricket should be better, whether the other team plays or our own. There wasn’t a fielder there; two fielders were standing in the same spot, so I told him to position a fielder there,” Pant said, leaving Karim, Jadeja, and other members of the broadcasting team in splits.
During his 109-run knock in the second innings for India, Pant added 167 runs for the fourth wicket with Shubman Gill (119 not out), which helped India extend the total lead to 500+ runs and set up a target of 515 runs for Bangladesh to chase down in the fourth innings of the match, which they failed to do so and got all out for 234 runs in the morning session of the fourth day’s play.
