Rishabh Pant, Ben Stokes involved in heated argument, umpires intervene

In what turned out to be the first real on-field face-off in the series, India wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant and England all-rounder Ben Stokes were involved in a heated exchange of words towards the end of Day 1 of the second Test match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

It all transpired in the 87th of the Indian innings, which also turned out to be the penultimate of the over of the day when Pant decided to take his own time in between deliveries to make sure Joe Root’s over was the last one before stumps.

Heated Argument

Irked by this, Stokes who was standing at first slip, appeared to have said something to Pant. The India wicket-keeper was not the one to stand back. He refused to bat till the chatter from behind the stumps stopped. When it finally did, Pant played out the last two balls but the matter didn’t end there.

While crossing over for the last over of the day, Stokes and Pant were involved in another round of argument. This time both the onfield umpires had to intervene before it escalated further.

Olly Stone bowled the last over the day with Pant hitting him a boundary and safely negotiating the rest of the deliveries.

Former India opener Wasim Jaffer too reacted on the incident.

India lost three wickets in the final session but was still in a strong position at 300-6 at stumps on the first day of the second Test.

Rohit Sharma (161) scored his seventh test century and put on 162 runs with Ajinkya Rahane (67) for the fourth wicket. Both batsmen were dismissed after tea as England fought back.

Rishabh Pant (33) and Axar Patel (5) are the batters at the crease.

Rahane brought up his 23rd test half-century off 104 balls. Sharma was motoring along at the other end, crossing 150 off 208 deliveries.

Sharma was out against the run of play, caught at backward square leg as he went for an aerial sweep against Jack Leach.

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Sharma faced 231 balls, hitting 18 fours and two sixes.

Rahane survived a dubious DRS call, which was later reversed. He didn’t survive for too long afterward, bowled by the recalled Moeen Ali (2-112).

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