India vs Eng 3rd Test: Why Rishabh Pant was forced to do THIS by umpire on Day 1

Rishabh Pant also backed his skipper Virat Kohli’s decision to bat first while admitting that the wicket was ‘soft’ in the morning.

The swashbuckling Rishabh Pant has revealed he had to change his stance after being told by the umpire as batting outside the crease to negate swing formed footmarks in the pitch’s danger area during India’s forgettable opening day at Headingley. The first day of the third Test between England and India here ended with the hosts on top after their openers capitalised on an excellent bowling display. “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 (August 25). The southpaw added, “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.”