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Xtra Time Web Desk: Team India’s dashing wicket keeper batsman Rishabh Pant has revealed that he was told to change his stance by the umpire on Day 1 of the third test against England at Headingley. The reason given by the umpire was batting outside the crease to negate the swing formed footmarks in the pitch’s danger area.

“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.

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.”

Having won the toss and chosen to bat, India were bowled out for just 78 after an excellent opening spell from James Anderson sparked a collapse. Pant backed his skipper Virat Kohli’s decision to bat first while admitting that the wicket was “soft” in the morning.

 “In the morning, the wicket was slightly on the softer side and they bowled in good areas. We could have applied ourselves better. We can learn from it and only move on. That’s all we can do as cricketers. You learn from your mistakes and improve.”

He also said that Kohli’s decision to bat first, despite the wicket being damp, was a collective call.

“I don’t think so,” he replied when asked if batting first was a tricky move.

“Whatever decision we take, we take as a team. So, once we have decided we are going to bat first, we are going to back our decision and move on. Yes, we could have applied much better but we can’t keep on thinking too much about the toss.”