- August 8, 2025
Ever seen a batter fall during a shot and thought, “Oops, the clumsy dude?” Well, rethink that when it comes to Rishabh Pant. During the 2025 India vs England Test series, the dynamic left-hander had the fans talking not only about his runs, but how he hit the ground, as part of his plan when hitting his trademark sweep shot. Crazy? Not if you asked Sachin Tendulkar. In a comment that rippled through the cricketing population, Tendulkar stated Pant’s fall was not an accident – it was, in fact, a part of Pant’s plan. Let’s break down the madness from the method.
Mastering the Art of the Intentional Fall
Pant is not your typical Test batter. He doesn’t merely play cricket — he articulates it. One of the most electrifying — and occasionally gasp-worthy — weapons in his arsenal is the sweep shot. However, what appeared to be a balance issue to many of us was a clever technique.
According to Tendulkar, Pant often plans to fall while sweeping to get underneath the ball and generate the loft needed to clear the infield. It’s not about being off-balance; it’s about being in control of the chaos. He adjusts the depth of his fall based on the bowler’s length — now that’s next-level shot planning.
Think about that for a second. We’ve seen batters bend, crouch, even lunge to sweep, but how often have we seen someone deliberately drop as part of their stroke? Pant’s method not only shows great imagination but also guts. It’s pushing it right back on the bowler, who suddenly doesn’t know where to target a man who’s willing to fall — and still find ways to score.
Freedom Is Fuel: Let Rishabh Be Rishabh
While analyzing Pant’s brilliant run in the series — 479 runs at an average of 68.42 — Tendulkar emphasized another key point: Rishabh Pant thrives when he’s allowed to be himself. And he’s right.
Pant’s style isn’t about grinding out a 20 off 100 balls — it’s about changing the game in a single session. Whether India is chasing 300 in the fourth innings or setting a total on Day 1, Pant brings intent, flair, and unpredictability. But here’s the twist — that doesn’t mean he’s reckless. His two centuries and three fifties in this series weren’t flashes in the pan. They were structured, match-aware innings with flair built into their foundation.
Tendulkar nailed it when he said Pant should switch gears only when survival is the sole goal. Otherwise, cricket is better — and more fun — when Pant plays his natural, explosive game.
The Bigger Picture: Pant’s Genius vs Convention
What Pant’s approach really challenges is the traditional view of what ‘good’ Test batting looks like. We’re used to praising patience, stillness, and technique. And while Pant does have all of that, he packages it with flair and drama. His calculated falls, aggressive intent, and ability to read match situations prove he’s not a maverick — he’s a modern-day master of unorthodox cricket.
This isn’t slogging. It’s a strategy. It’s forcing bowlers to change their length, captains to rethink field settings, and viewers to question everything they thought they knew about Test batting. Pant is changing the grammar of red-ball cricket — and doing it in style.
So next time you see Rishabh Pant falling over during a sweep, don’t reach for the “he’s out of control” label. He probably meant to fall — and that might just be his secret weapon. From his calculated chaos to match-defining knocks, Pant’s 2025 England series was a reminder that Test cricket has room for both textbook strokes and audacious innovation.
