Former England skipper Michael Vaughan on Friday said for him India wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant is the one player for whom he would leave the bar.
Riding on the platform set by centurion KL Rahul and Pant, India scored 63 runs in the last five overs to finish on 336/6 in the allotted 50 overs against England in the second ODI here at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Friday.
Vaughan was in awe of Pant's 40-ball 77 which included seven sixes and three fours.
"If you had to choose one player to leave the bar for right now mine would be @RishabhPant17 ... he is absolutely fantastic to watch ... #INDvsENG," Vaughan tweeted.
While Rahul hit a classy 108 off 114 balls, it was all about brutal power for Pant. India was placed comfortably at 210/3 after the completion of 40 overs. But the duo ensured that the hosts hit overdrive mode and picked 126 runs in the last 10 as the England bowlers had no clue on the length to bowl.
If Rahul and Pant set up the finish, Hardik Pandya hit a 16-ball 35 to keep up the tempo after their dismissal.
Earlier, England won the toss and asked the hosts to bat first. India had a poor start as in-form Shikhar Dhawan got out cheaply in the fourth over. Pacer Reece Topley scalped Dhawan (9) and provided an early breakthrough to his side. Skipper Virat Kohli joined Rohit Sharma in the middle. The duo added 28 off 29 balls before Sam Curran sent Rohit (25) back in the ninth over as the batsman hit one on his legs straight to short backward square.
Rahul was involved in two crucial hundred-plus partnerships with Kohli and Pant. Kohli smashed 66 before he was sent back to the pavilion by Adil Rashid. Tom Curran removed Pant in the 47th over, but the damage had already been done as India finished on a high. For England, Tom Curran and Topley bagged two wickets apiece.
( With inputs from ANI )
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