During the first Test match between India and England at Headingley in Leeds on Saturday, an interesting incident occurred just before Rishabh Pant's dismissal. The incident, captured by the stump mic, reveals a brief conversation between Pant and his batting partner, Ravindra Jadeja. Pant was heard saying, "Sooja diya hai yaar isne maar-maar ke, same jagah maare ja raha hai," which translates to "My knee is swollen, he's hitting me in the same spot repeatedly." He was referring to England pacer Josh Tongue, who had been targeting him with a specific line of attack.
On the very next delivery, Tongue bowled a similar delivery that nipped back in, trapping Pant LBW and bringing an end to his brilliant innings. Pant's dismissal was viewed by some as a lapse in concentration, but the stump mic audio revealed the discomfort he was experiencing due to Tongue's persistent bowling.
Prior to his dismissal, Pant had played a superb innings, scoring 134 runs off 178 balls, including 12 fours and six sixes. He reached his century in his typical aggressive style, smashing a six off spinner Shoaib Bashir. This was his seventh Test century and his third in England, further solidifying his reputation as a fearless and dominant batsman in the longest format of the game.
Notably, with this century, Pant surpassed MS Dhoni to become the Indian wicketkeeper with the most Test centuries. It was also his first Test century since September 2024, when he scored 109 against Bangladesh.
Pant's innings not only entertained the crowd with his aggressive strokeplay but also steadied India's innings, helping them post a strong total. His ability to counterattack and put pressure back on the opposition bowlers was on full display.
Sachin Tendulkar praised Pant's smart shot selection and his clever use of the paddle sweep, highlighting his intelligent and situational batting. Tendulkar noted that Pant's "falling paddle sweep is not accidental. It is intentional and extremely clever. Going down with the shot allows him to get under the ball and scoop it over leg slip with control."
However, Dinesh Karthik suggested that a message from head coach Gautam Gambhir to Pant, possibly advising him to "calm down," might have contributed to his dismissal by curbing his natural, aggressive style of play.
