- June 22, 2025
Cricket is not just numbers and score sheets; it’s about those instances where you gasped, laughed out loud, or wondered what you were watching. All of these things are present when you are waiting for Rishabh Pant to walk out to bat because he will give you all three! On day one of the Test match, at Leeds, the left-hander showed us what he does best, blurring the line between genius and madness. Former keeper Dinesh Karthik beautifully articulated: “There is sexy and then there is silly,” and we couldn’t agree more! India is looking to tread on the accelerator and get a big score on day two, but first, let’s take a look at why Rishabh Pant’s batting is one of the most entertaining and controversial events in modern-day Test cricket.
The Fine Line Between Daring and Dangerous
If we’re being honest, Pant doesn’t play according to the script. He rips the script up, then burns it, and then reverse scoops a fast bowler for four. His innings on Day 1 was vintage Pant: attack Ben Stokes’ first ball, and loft a ball straight over his head. Did anyone need to do this? No. Was it brilliant? Of course.
This is where Karthik’s quote carries weight. Pant’s way can be so unbelievably sexy when it works, or unbelievably silly when it doesn’t. But this isn’t a form of batting that can be called silly because it is reckless on purpose; Pant isn’t just guessing. He’s reading the field, he is identifying the bowler, and he is playing out the risk only he can see.
Why Team India Needs to Embrace the Madness
Dinesh Karthik was not simply providing analysis; he was sending a message to the Indian dressing room: this is Rishabh Pant — take it or leave it. The reality is, players like Pant do not come around often. You cannot expect a maverick to be consistent. What you expect are vital moments – innings to turn Tests on their head.
The record shows that Pant is not just all flair; he is all fire. He has made plenty of runs in Australia, fought bowlers in England previously, and he seems the x-factor again on this tour. The Indian top order – Jaiswal, Gill, and Pant – were aggressive on Day 1, and I would not be surprised if Pant’s attitude is the fuel within the group.
In team sport, smothered by a culture of risk-averse behavior, we need Rishabh Pant, who is a cure for cautiousness. Sure, there are some ‘facepalm’ moments, but with Rishabh, the upside is so much heftier than any downside.
Changing the Rules, One Shot at a Time
Dinesh Karthik noted that Pant is bending the rules in his own unique way—truly a different beast altogether. The game is arriving at a new dimension. Yes, there will be situations where the ‘classic’ Test match batsman is needed, but the overall game at the worldwide level demands a degree of flexibility and, well, boldness.
Think about shot selection – his angles, he dares to attack the spinner early, he can reverse sweep, he can charge down the wicket. These are not tricking or gimmicks. They are tools. Tools that have already provided India with international success in overseas Tests, and can potentially do the same in this five-match series.
Day 2 in Leeds will be extremely important, and if Pant kicks on from 65, England could find themselves in for a long day in the dirt. Regardless of whether he looks like a genius or a gambler, one thing is for certain: we will all be glued to our screens.
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