Rishabh Pant has built a reputation for living on the edge in Test cricket, whether through flamboyant strokeplay or constant stump-mic chatter. But on Friday at Headingley, in a surprise role reversal, it was Pant reining in someone else’s instincts. In the final session of Day 1 of the first Test between India and England, Pant turned advisor. As Shubman Gill eyed a late-day surge against England’s rookie spinner Shoaib Bashir, Pant, stationed at the non-striker’s end, issued a sharp warning.
Gill had just danced down the track and driven a fuller ball from Bashir straight to short cover. Instantly, Pant cautioned him, pointing out the danger in trying to hit too hard or too high. “Niche hi reh nikal raha hai toh. Ye aa jaata, uth gaya,” Pant told Gill. Roughly translated: “Keep it down if you’re stepping out. That one rose a bit, could’ve been caught.”
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For a player known for daring uppercuts and outrageous sixes in the dying overs, it was a striking shift in tone; Pant played the wise enforcer, urging India’s new captain not to throw away his hand. Interestingly, the roles flipped in the last over of the day. With Chris Woakes steaming in, Pant danced out and sent a length ball soaring over deep square leg for six, finishing the day on a rollicking 65*.
Earlier, Shubman Gill marked his captaincy debut in style, stroking a composed, unbeaten 127 after a fluent century from Yashasvi Jaiswal (101). Together, they put on a 129-run stand that laid the foundation for India’s commanding 359/3 at stumps. Rishabh Pant then joined forces with Gill for an unbroken 138-run partnership, as England’s depleted bowling attack wilted.
England captain Ben Stokes’ decision to bowl first backfired, with Shoaib Bashir and Brydon Carse unable to stem the flow. Woakes was expensive and wicketless, while Stokes picked up two but struggled to apply sustained pressure.
The day, though, belonged to India’s young trio of Gill, Jaiswal and Pant. KL Rahul, too, played a helping hand earlier in the first session, scoring an important 42 as he helped stitch a 92-run stand for the opening wicket. India handed a debut to Sai Sudharsan, who failed to make a mark in his first innings, departing without troubling the scorers in four deliveries.
