NEW DELHI: Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has lauded Rishabh Pant’s unique and fearless shot-making, specifically highlighting the left-hander’s distinctive falling paddle sweep during his blistering 134 off 178 balls in the first Test at Headingley. Tendulkar called the stroke not an accident, but a product of sharp cricketing intelligence.“Rishabh’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,” Tendulkar wrote on X (formerly Twitter), praising Pant’s calculated execution against spinner Shoaib Bashir.Tendulkar also observed the subtle mind games being played between the wickets during the partnership between skipper Shubman Gill and Pant. “Also noticed something interesting during Bashir’s spell. Shubman and Rishabh were speaking loudly in Hindi between deliveries. It wasn’t just casual talk. They were playing mind games with the bowler, trying to disrupt his rhythm. These minor details may not appear on the scoreboard, but they can have a significant impact on the game,” he added.After Yashasvi Jaiswal’s aggressive 101 off 159 balls gave India a solid start, the Gill-Pant duo took charge and stitched together a commanding 209-run partnership. The stand put England’s inexperienced bowling attack under immense pressure, particularly during the second session of Day 1.
While Pant switched gears with flair, Gill held a steady tempo, setting the tone of the innings with his composed 147 off 227 balls. Gill fell short of a well-deserved 150, miscuing a flick off Shoaib Bashir to deep square leg. Pant, on the other hand, reached his century with a trademark one-handed six, but was later trapped LBW by Josh Tongue after shouldering arms to a ball that jagged back in.India’s innings folded for 471 after the departure of the two set batters.
