During the first day of the Test match between India and England at Headingley, Rishabh Pant, known for his aggressive batting style, was caught on the stump mic giving some surprising advice to India's new captain, Shubman Gill. In a role reversal, Pant, often seen taking risks, urged Gill to curb his aggressive instincts.
The incident occurred late in the day when Gill stepped out to face England's rookie spinner, Shoaib Bashir, and drove a fuller ball towards short cover. Pant, at the non-striker's end, immediately cautioned Gill, emphasizing the danger of hitting the ball too hard or high. Pant's words, caught clearly by the stump mic, were: "Niche hi reh nikal raha hai toh. Ye aa jaata, uth gaya," which roughly translates to, "Keep it down if you're stepping out. That one rose a bit, could've been caught."
This advice from Pant was particularly striking given his own reputation for daring shots and big hits, especially towards the end of an innings. It showcased a moment where Pant took on the role of a wise enforcer, advising Gill, who was making his debut as Test captain, not to throw his wicket away.
Interestingly, the roles seemed to briefly reverse in the final over of the day. Pant himself danced down the track to a delivery from Chris Woakes and sent it soaring over deep square leg for a six, finishing the day on an unbeaten 65. This demonstrated the inherent duality in Pant's game – the ability to offer restraint and caution while also possessing the instinct for explosive strokeplay.
Earlier in the day, Shubman Gill had marked his captaincy debut in impressive fashion, scoring an unbeaten 127, complemented by a century from Yashasvi Jaiswal (101). Their 129-run partnership set a strong foundation for India, which Pant further built upon with Gill, adding an unbroken 138 runs.
The day ended with India in a commanding position at 359/3, with England's decision to bowl first appearing to have backfired. However, the moment between Pant and Gill stood out, highlighting the dynamic within the Indian team and Pant's evolving role as a senior player offering guidance.
