During India’s terrible first day at Headingley of the Third Test, the India wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant was seen having a short conversation with the on-field umpire.
Pant, later revealed that he had to modify his stance after being advised by the umpire that batting outside the crease would nullify swing produced footmarks in the pitch’s danger area.
The danger zone is a section of the field that runs parallel to the stumps on both sides of the wicket. Players, including bowlers, fielders, and batsmen are advised to avoid this area because their shoes may deteriorate the area and allow more and more footmarks, which will not be good for the team batting last.
Notably, Pant’s time at the crease at Leeds was brief like other batters, as he was dismissed for just two runs off nine deliveries soon after the lunch break. Pant, who thought he could smash the ball and grab a boundary, received an edge to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler after Ollie Robinson got the ball to swing slightly away from him.
“Because I was standing outside the crease and my front-foot was coming into the danger area, so he (the umpire) told me that you can’t stand there,” Pant said during the virtual post-day press conference on Wednesday.
“So, I have (had) to change my stance, but as a cricketer, I don’t have to think too much about that, because it’s everyone who is going to do that, umpires are going to say the same thing. I didn’t do that the next ball and you move on,” the Southpaw added.
Talking about the match, India won the toss and opted to bat first. However their decision to bat first in the overcast conditions backfired them as James Anderson kept the Indian batters at backfoot from the very first over. India were bowled out for just 78 runs after suffering a massive batting collapse. England, on the other hand were 118 for no loss when stumps were drawn on Day 1 of the Test.
