“Sometimes you have to play more secure cricket…”: Rishabh Pant On Defensive Knock In Sydney

The fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 saw India grappling with a familiar foe: inconsistent batting. Opting to bat first at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), India managed only 185 runs, continuing a series-long struggle. With the team crossing the 300-run mark just twice, questions loom over the batting lineup’s ability to perform under pressure.

Overview of the Sydney Test

Choosing to bat first is often a sign of confidence, but India’s decision seemed fraught with challenges. The SCG wicket offered swing and seam movement, testing even the most technically sound batters. Under such circumstances, the Indian team faced yet another uphill battle.

From the outset, India’s innings faltered. Despite a few promising starts, none of the batters, except Rishabh Pant, appeared comfortable. Pant’s composed 40 off 98 deliveries stood out in an otherwise dismal performance, but his dismissal by Scott Boland was a turning point.

The inability to post competitive totals has haunted India throughout the series. Their struggles stem from a combination of poor shot selection, lack of partnerships, and failure to adapt to challenging conditions. This inconsistency has put undue pressure on the bowlers.

Rishabh Pant’s Approach in Sydney

Pant’s knock was a rare positive in a grim display. Adopting a defensive strategy, he showed patience and restraint, qualities not often associated with his natural style. Post-match, Pant emphasized his intent to play according to the situation rather than premeditating aggression.

“I think in this innings I was not in a frame of mind where I wanted to take charge of the game because the wicket was doing too much, and the kind of situation we were in and while playing inside I felt like I could do like play a little bit of defensive cricket. Yes, there is a time to attack but when you have to feel that from inside. I can’t just pre-meditate that I’m going to play this way whatever the game asked me to do on that given day that’s what I try to do and that was the mindset,” Pant told reporters after the end of day’s play.

Pant’s Transition from Aggression to Caution

Known for his flamboyant stroke play, Pant’s cautious approach was a deliberate shift. While it underscored his adaptability, it also highlighted the team’s precarious situation. Striking a balance between aggression and caution remains crucial.

Pant said: “I think it’s a little bit, [but] not very difficult. Yes, initial part would be very difficult because when you see a ball which you can hit but sometimes you have to play more sensible cricket, I would say. Like there might be 50-50 chance which I could have taken early on in this innings but sometimes you have to play more secure cricket especially the way [SCG] wicket was behaving we knew that if we get one more wicket here we might lose two-three in a quick succession so that was the idea behind the way I was playing and last match there was nothing much to do the kind of target we had I think I had to play that [defensively] way so I think pretty fine with the way I’m playing.”

Pant concluded, “Just trying to make most out of whatever the way I’m playing and just keep it simple not to overthink because you know when you’re not having best of the tours you might overthink too much but I just try to keep it simple and give my 200% on the field and that’s the idea about playing cricket for me”

The Role of Conditions at SCG

The SCG pitch offered unpredictable bounce and lateral movement, making run-scoring arduous. Adapting to such conditions required a solid technique and temperament, attributes that many Indian batters struggled to display. Boland’s sharp and disciplined bowling exposed India’s vulnerabilities. His ability to exploit the conditions and dismiss key players like Pant underscored his growing stature in Test cricket.