Is It Time For Rishabh Pant To Tweak His Approach In Test Cricket?

Rishabh Pant has been disappointing in the ongoing BGT [Source: @VibhuBhola/x.com]

Rishabh Pant has always been cricket’s daredevil, someone who doesn’t just walk out to bat but struts onto the field with an air of confidence. But the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy has been a rollercoaster, and not the fun kind.

Instead of smashing bowlers and leaving fans in awe, Pant’s innings have been more like a damp squib. In the ongoing fourth Test at the MCG, much was expected of him in the first innings with India in dire straits but the exuberance of youth cost him once again.

Is It Time For Rishabh Pant To Reinvent Himself In Test Cricket?

With India at 191/6, already in hot water chasing Australia’s 474, Rishabh Pant was on 28, looking steady, and then he decided to play a scoop. A scoop! Against Scott Boland, no less, who’s been Australia bets bowler in the innings.

The result? The ball landed straight into Lyon’s hands at short fine leg. If there’s ever a definition for 'shooting yourself in the foot,' this was it.

This was a heartbreak moment. India needed someone to dig in, play with defiance, and drag the innings forward. Instead, Pant’s audacity put India further behind the eight ball.

A Far Cry From the Old Pant

Where’s the Pant we all knew? The one who made Australia sweat buckets in 2018 and 2021?

• 2018: Pant was on fire. Seven innings, 350 runs, an average of 58.30. Who can forget that 159 not out in Sydney? He was cool as a cucumber, soaking up pressure like a sponge.
• 2020-21: Pant was unstoppable. Five innings, 375 runs, an average of 68.50. And that 89* at the Gabba? Stuff of legends. He didn’t just bat, he wrote history.
• 2024-25: Six innings, 124 runs, an average of 20.67. It’s like watching Spiderman struggle to leap a building.

---

ALSO READ

'Stupid! Should Not Go Into India’s Dressing Room': Gavaskar Lashes Out At Rishabh Pant

---

Time to Rethink the Approach

Here’s the deal: Pant’s fearless batting is what makes him special, but Test cricket isn’t all about whacking sixes and playing outrageous shots. Sometimes, it’s about digging your heels in, weathering the storm, and grinding it out.

The scoop shot might make sense in T20s, where risk-taking is par for the course. But in a Test match, with the team in trouble? That’s playing with fire. Pant has the shots, but what he needs is the patience to pick the right ones for the moment.

Take a Leaf Out of Nitish Reddy’s Book

Look at the young guns. In the same Test, Nitish Reddy, just 21 and in his fourth match, played like a seasoned pro. He didn’t try anything fancy. He held his ground, built an innings, and showed the Aussies that he wasn’t going to roll over. Washington Sundar was no different: calm, collected, and unshakable.

Pant has been here before. He’s dug India out of trouble in the past, but this time, it feels like he’s trying too hard to be the hero. Sometimes, playing it safe is what the team needs.

The Road Back

Pant’s talent isn’t in question. He’s got the skills, the shots, and the X-factor. What he needs now is a bit of fine-tuning. Test cricket is a game of chess, not checkers. If he can figure out when to attack and when to defend, he’ll be back to his best in no time.

For now, though, it’s time for Pant to go back to the drawing board. The fearless Pant we love doesn’t need to change, he just needs to adjust his lens. Because when he gets it right, there’s no one else like him.

---

ALSO READ

'Awful, Brain Of A 12YO' - Rishabh Pant Receives Frustrated Vent Out Anger After Immaturity

---