Once. Across three innings and 168 runs in this series, Rishabh Pant’s aggression against a fresh ball has genuinely hurt India exactly one time, in the first innings at Galle. The other two innings show the same instincts working in India’s favor rather than against it, which makes the criticism louder than the actual pattern deserves. One reckless over does not erase 63s and 66s built on the same approach. India are one match away from a 2-0 series sweep, and the numbers back Pant far more than the noise around him suggests.
The Galle Dismissal That Sparked Debate
Day two at Galle was cut to 43 overs by rain, and India resumed at 288 for two with Pant on 27 overnight. When Sri Lanka took the second new ball, he lasted just four deliveries, charging debutant off-spinner Keshara Nuwantha three times in the opening over before holing out at wide long-off for 39. India lost seven wickets in a few hours after that, sliding from 288 for two to 460 for nine, with Pant’s wicket the one that started the slide.
In the second innings, he scored 66 off 69 balls, including his 100th Test six, before being caught behind gloving a short ball from Lahiru Kumara. That dismissal came within a 193-run total that set Sri Lanka a target of 372, a very different situation from a fresh new ball on day two.
Rishabh Pant SL vs IND Test 2026 dismissals
At Colombo, Pant retired hurt in the 58th over after a Kumara bouncer struck his left wrist during an attempted ramp shot. He returned later and scored 63 off 89 balls as India declared on 503 for 9.
Innings | Score | Dismissal | New-Ball Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
Galle, Innings 1 | 39 | Caught at long-off off Nuwantha | HIGH |
Galle, Innings 2 | 66 | Caught behind off Kumara, mid-innings | MEDIUM |
Colombo, Innings 1 | 63 | Retired hurt, returned unbeaten | LOW |
Of three innings this series, exactly one carries a clear new-ball aggression failure. The other two were aggressive shots played well away from a fresh ball, or in Colombo’s case, an injury that had nothing to do with shot selection at all.
Comparing This Series to His Recent Form
Pant’s last extended Test run came in the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England, where he scored 479 runs at an average of 68.42 across four matches, including twin centuries of 134 and 118 at Headingley. His dismissals in that series mostly came against an older ball, charges at spinners mid-innings, or edges against pace once the surface had softened up. That run established him as India’s most reliable middle-order finisher in testing conditions, not just an entertainer chasing highlights.
The Galle dismissal, a wicket in the first over of a fresh ball with 39 already on the board, does not match that pattern. It stands alone as an isolated lapse rather than a repeated habit, which is exactly why it drew as much attention as it did.
The Case Against Pant’s Shot Selection
Mohammad Kaif was blunt in his assessment on Sony Sports, pointing out that Pant charged down the pitch three times in the very first over with the new ball, when the sensible option was simply to see off the shine and play within himself for five or six overs. His argument was not that aggression itself is wrong for Pant.
It was that even a naturally attacking batter needs to read the moment, and batting on 39 alongside a centurion against a debutant spinner who had just been tossed the new ball was not a moment that demanded a risk at all.
Whether the Aggression Still Pays Off
One failure against a fresh ball across three innings does not make a pattern. A series average of 56 is a strong return for a number five batter, and both his half-century at Galle and his fighting 63 at Colombo arrived exactly when India needed runs on the board.
The Rishabh Pant SL vs IND Test 2026 dismissals this series tell a story of one avoidable mistake surrounded by two innings where the same aggression delivered for India. The real question is not whether Pant should soften his game, but whether he can spot the rare moment when patience costs nothing and saves everything.
Should Pant be given a leash to play his natural game against the new ball, or does Galle prove he needs a different plan? Leave your view below.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How did Rishabh Pant get out in the Galle Test?
Pant was dismissed for 39 off the fourth ball after Sri Lanka took the second new ball. He charged debutant spinner Keshara Nuwantha three times in one over and was caught at wide long-off.
What is Rishabh Pant’s dismissal pattern against the new ball?
Only one of his three innings dismissals this series came against a fresh new ball, at Galle. His other innings ended mid-innings against pace, well away from any new-ball situation entirely.
What did Mohammad Kaif say about Rishabh Pant’s batting?
Kaif argued that Pant should have played watchfully rather than charging a debutant spinner with the new ball. He said common sense demanded Pant see off the shine for five or six overs first.
Is Rishabh Pant fit for the second Test against Sri Lanka?
Yes, Pant retired hurt at Colombo but returned to bat and finished the innings unbeaten on 63. A Kumara bouncer struck his left wrist in the 58th over during an attempted ramp shot.
What is Rishabh Pant’s batting average in this Test series?
Pant is averaging 56 across three innings in the ongoing series against Sri Lanka. He has scored 168 runs from knocks of 39, 66, and an unbeaten 63.