Shubman Gill tells Pant to “calm down” in hilarious exchange between the two centurions while batting in the second innings.
Shubman Gill, who shared a 167-run partnership with wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, recounted an amusing event. In the first Test match in Chennai, India set a mammoth target of 515 runs thanks to centuries from Gill and Rishabh Pant. With some merciless hitting, the two future Indian batting stars destroyed Bangladeshi bowling, maintaining their excellent long-format record.
During the celebration of their milestones, Gill told Pant not to touch his bat with Gill’s bat because he was “trying to save the bat,” which he has been using since the series against England earlier this year. Gill made this observation during the press conference held at the end of the day’s play.
“I was telling him not (to hit his bat). Because I am playing with a bat which I used in England series, so my bat is quite old actually, and he was hitting my bat so hard that I was telling him that ‘I am trying to save my bat’. So, if in the middle, he would say, let us do it again. Bro, calm down (smiles),” said Gill.
India was struggling at 67/3 in their second innings, having lost their top-order fast once more. But before the innings was declared, they reached 287/4 thanks to centuries from Gill (119*) and Rishabh Pant (109 in 128 balls, with 13 fours and four sixes). Bangladesh needed to win by an overwhelming 515.
With openers Zakir Hasan (33) and Shadman Islam (35) putting up a solid 62-run opening stand, Bangladesh got off to a good start in the run chase. The innings was held together by captain Najmul Hossain Shanto (51* in 60 balls, four boundaries, three sixes), while Ravichandran Ashwin (3/63) and Jasprit Bumrah (1/18) shared wickets. Bangladesh was 158/4 at the close of the third day, with Shakib Al Hasan (5) and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto (51) still undefeated.