Sitanshu Kotak reveals Rishabh Pant’s mindset while batting ahead of 3rd Test against England

India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has revealed that Rishabh Pant doesn’t like to talk a lot while batting ahead of the third Test match against England. Pant returned with scores of 134 and 118 in the opening Test at Leeds, Headingley against England. The southpaw also scored an attacking knock of 65 runs off 58 balls in the second innings of the second Test.

The left-hander has been consistently delivering the goods in the red-ball version and his hilarious chats can be heard on the stump mic. 

Sitanshu Kotak said in the press conference, “Rishabh actually talks a lot about what he does, when he does, why he does. But he is someone who doesn’t like to talk too much during his innings because he feels that it changes his mindset and he takes the wrong decisions. That’s only when he’s batting. Apart from that, he talks about other batters also. He makes proper planning. It’s not easy to score hundreds without any planning.”

Kotak said Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal have the skills to change a game on its head with their blistering batting.

“Every team will have some aggressive players, who are very good at breaking opposition’s momentum. Someone like Jaiswal, who plays the way he plays, someone like Rishabh. But, that does not mean that he doesn’t think. He does think and takes decisions. When it goes wrong, it looks bad. But when it goes right, people are happy.”

On the other hand, Mohammed Siraj returned with impressive figures of 6-70 in the first innings of the second Test. Kotak said workload management is there for every fast bowler and revealed Siraj likes to bowl more in the nets

Kotak concldued, “It’s not like workload management is for Bumrah alone. Every bowler’s fitness is different and everyone has different issues. [Mohammed] Siraj is someone who bowls a lot. The bowling coach [and team management] keeps a track of that. If they feel anyone needs a rest…Of course, the bowler will also know. Other than that, there is no discussion on it.”

The third Test match between India and England will be played at Lord’s, London from 10th July onwards.