Rishabh Pant’s aggressive approach in Test cricket has frequently been a topic of debate, proving to be a double-edged sword for the Indian team.
While his attacking flair has, at times, pulled India out of difficult situations, it has also led to frustrating and ill-timed dismissals, even when the talented wicketkeeper-batter has managed to get a start. During India’s five-match Test tour of Australia in 2024-25, Pant faced considerable criticism for repeatedly throwing away his wicket. Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar, while on commentary during the fourth Test in Melbourne, went as far as to describe Pant’s shot selection as “stupid”.
Throughout that Australian tour, Pant accumulated 255 runs across nine innings, with his highest score being 61. His individual scores across the five matches illustrate this inconsistency: 37, 1, 21, 28, 9, 28, 30, 40, and 61.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly also voiced his dissatisfaction with Pant’s performances, believing he played “too many shots” and swung indiscriminately, an unsuitable approach when the ball was moving. Ganguly didn’t mince words, telling Revsportz, “I did not like what I saw of him in Australia. Too many shots. Just too many shots. He was just swinging at every ball, and that’s not how you bat in conditions where the ball was moving around a bit.”
Ganguly further emphasized the need for Pant to display more resilience and adaptability in his batting. “He (Pant) needs to show fight. He has a very good defence. That’s what I want to see. I want him to fight and grind down. Be ugly. Look ugly. But don’t swing at every ball and give it away. I know he is a stroke-maker and that’s his strength, but then he will have to adapt and play accordingly,” Ganguly added, highlighting the necessity for Pant to temper his natural aggression with strategic shot selection in challenging conditions.
Well, we think Pant should listen to this advice. What do you think?
