We should have chased 124: Pant

Ruining India’s inability to chase down 124 against South Africa in the first Test, vice-captain Rishabh Pant on Sunday said the batters should have adapted to the challenge of playing on a tricky Eden Gardens surface. India were bowled out for 93 as SA celebrated a 30-run win to take 1-0 lead in the two-match series. “After a game like this, you can’t dwell into it too much. We should have been able to chase it. The pressure kept on building. We didn’t capitalise enough. There was help from the wicket (for the bowlers),” said Pant, who came for the post-match presentation ceremony in the absence of injured regular captain Shubman Gill.Pant said the hosts will come back stronger in the second Test at Guwahati.“A score of 120 can be tricky on these surfaces. But having said that, we should have been able to soak in the pressure and capitalise. We haven’t thought about the improvements but we will come back strong for sure,” he added. The wicketkeeper batter said the eighth wicket stand of 44 runs between South Africa captain Temba Bavuma and Corbin Bosch was the turning point of the match. “Temba and Bosch had a good stand in the morning. That partnership between them hurt us,” he said. South Africa skipper Bavuma credited the bowlers for keeping his side in the game. “We want to be a part of these games and be on the right side of the result. It was tough for us and we needed the bowlers to bring us back in.“We were able to change our bowlers frequently and that worked for us. Our bowlers, as and when they were called, brought us in,” he added.