Some players stick to the plan. Rishabh Pant, he dances to his own rhythm instead.
Rishabh Pant changed how India plays Test cricket, one explosive innings at a time. At the Gabba, then The Oval, and later Ahmedabad, each visit sparked chaos for bowlers who thought they had control. A single session often flipped everything upside down because he didn’t follow the rules others did. His bat moved fast while plans around him fell apart.
Now things are different, so talk about him ahead of the Afghanistan match caught attention. Not because Gambhir or ten Doeschate pushed Pant to drop how he plays, far from it. Their point, the game hasn’t changed, but his place in it has. Without Rohit and Virat around anymore, the freedom once there feels distant. These days carry weight; stepping out isn’t just play, it’s an example. One of the older ones now, actions speak louder than ever before.
Rishabh Pant embraces patience in New Chandigarh
Rishabh Pant showed up when India held firm on day one. A hundred by KL Rahul set things rolling, and Shubman Gill kept pushing hard against Afghanistan’s bowling. Batting felt smooth under steady skies, the ball no longer new, their bowlers losing steam with every over.
Last time, this moment would have sent Pant charging forward. Right away, the wicketkeeper-batsman seemed focused on growing his score instead of rushing it.
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Not in a hurry, he eased into the rhythm, handling solid balls with care, showing little desire for flashy shots linked so often to his name now.
Rishabh Pant might try something bold, the commentators thought – maybe flip a scoop shot or sprint at a fast bowler. Yet Murali Karthik didn’t buy it. His doubt stood firm. And in the end, he saw it correctly. On show in New Chandigarh, the Rishabh Pant seemed far less bold.
A statement knock beyond the runs
Just because he settled down didn’t mean Rishabh Pant gave up on taking charge. For a short stretch, facing off-spinner Abdul Malik, he switched mindset, hitting three sixes in one over. Still, each of those blows followed standard techniques, targeting full tosses, with fielders pulled in close to encourage attack.
Rishabh Pant went twelve dozen plus one deliveries without clearing the ropes. Not once did he attempt a backward flick, nor play a ramp shot; those daring moves usually sparking gasps around the ground. When the Afghan quicks found swing late on day two, patience answered pace instead of boldness. His bat stayed grounded through chances others might chase.
Down the pitch he’d move now and then, a sudden step that broke the bowler’s flow without inviting trouble. Each aggressive choice seemed weighed, shaped by how the game unfolded around him.
A score of 81 runs marked the outcome, one remembered less for flash, more for calm precision throughout.
That knock turned out to be Rishabh Pant’s most sluggish fifty in a Test at home, ranking as the fifth-least hurried half-century he’s managed in Tests. Oddly enough, each of the four times he took longer unfolded when pitch conditions were tougher, runs harder to find, and team totals lower.
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This time felt unlike before. Not a fight to stay alive. More like holding back on purpose.
Years passed with Rishabh Pant defying norms as his trademark. This time against Afghanistan, a different shade appeared. Not flair but calm took center stage. Pressure did not rush him; instead, he sat with it. The chase shaped under his watch, quiet and steady. His usual spark stepped aside so balance could lead. Team purpose guided strokes once driven by impulse.
In New Chandigarh, Rishabh Pant seemed to answer right back. While Gambhir talked about smarter choices, the younger player showed up in a way that spoke just as loudly. One moment built on the last, yet each stood apart. Clarity came not through words but presence. What unfolded wasn’t layered in doubt.
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