ENG vs IND: KL Rahul admits modest Test average still hurts but focuses on enjoying his game

ENG vs IND: KL Rahul admits modest Test average still hurts but focuses on enjoying his game

India opener KL Rahul has admitted that his modest Test average still “hurts”, but insisted he is no longer focused on statistics and is instead enjoying his cricket more than ever. Rahul, who has often been under the scanner for inconsistency in the longest format, produced a sublime 137 in the second innings of the Headingley Test against England. Rahul’s ninth Test hundred – and eighth overseas – helped India stretch their second innings lead to 370, setting a daunting 371-run target for the hosts. Speaking to Sky Sports at the close of play on Day 4, the 32-year-old reflected on his mental transformation and a shift in perspective that has helped him rediscover rhythm in the game. “Of course, it hurts when I look at my average. But at this stage, I don’t want to think about numbers. I want to make an impact whenever I get a chance and enjoy playing Test cricket for India. It’s what I grew up loving,” Rahul said. Rahul, who for years has been known as a player capable of stylish starts without converting them into big scores, said he has become mentally calmer and more accepting of the game’s uncertainties. “I am just getting runs now. There was a time when I would get starts but not convert them into big scores, especially in Tests. I am much calmer in my head and not chasing numbers anymore. I just want to enjoy my cricket as much as I can,” he added. While Rahul may have distanced himself from statistical obsession, the numbers still present a compelling story. His 137 was his third century in England – the most by any Indian opener in the country – taking him past the likes of Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri. He also extended his tally of hundreds in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) countries to six, underlining his overseas pedigree. ENG vs IND 1st Test Day 4 Highlights The stylish right-hander also stitched together a crucial 195-run stand with Rishabh Pant, which gave India a firm grip on the contest. In many ways, this innings marked a moment of personal redemption for Rahul, whose place in the side has often been questioned due to a fluctuating average and repeated opportunities. Rahul acknowledged that part of his growth has come from working closely with former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, whose influence over the past year and a half has helped him return to the basics and embrace a more grounded approach. “I have worked a lot with him, spent a lot of time with him in 15-18 months. I have gone back to basics, doing time. There was a time when I was in a quality over quantity mindset in international cricket and did not hit enough balls. Now I am back to enjoying hitting a lot of balls in the nets,” said Rahul. Rahul has predicted a dramatic Day 5 battle as India need 10 wickets to win while England must chase down the 371-run target in Leeds. “When the match started, it looked like a batting paradise and I thought it would be a draw. But now, there’s enough wear and tear and the cracks are opening up. It’s a perfect day—five wickets, and it’s going to be a blockbuster,” he said. – Ends Published By: Saurabh Kumar Published On: Jun 24, 2025

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KL Rahul's 'hurtful' admission after going past Rahul Dravid with Leeds knock: 'When I look at my average...'

KL Rahul’s ‘hurtful’ admission after going past Rahul Dravid with Leeds knock: ‘When I look at my average…’

KL Rahul has suddenly found himself bearing far more responsibility in the Indian Test team, as he graduated into being a senior player with a lot more on his table than even just 6 months prior. The retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have converted him into the veteran leader of the batting unit, and that is certainly a tag he lived up to at Headingley, as he scored a graceful, in-complete-control 137 in the third innings. KL Rahul rests his head against his bat as he walks off after having scored a memorable 137 in the third innings at Leeds.(Action Images via Reuters) While Rahul’s talent and top-end quality is beyond reproach, he has often struggled with consistency and reliability through his career. Rahul is attempting to solve that issue in his game, and after a 2025 that has seen him find his groove in ODI cricket and now possibly Tests, he seems to have found the mental key for that edge. “I am just getting runs now. There was a time when I would get starts but not convert them into big scores, especially in Tests,” said KL Rahul straightforwardly to Sky Cricket after the fourth day’s play in Leeds. “I am much calmer in my head and not chasing numbers anymore. I just want to enjoy my cricket as much as I can.” KL Rahul prioritises creating an impact for India over personal accolades While Rahul’s mind may no longer be on numbers, they do now say that eight of his nine Test centuries have been scored overseas. Rahul’s opening role wasn’t nailed down, with criticism over his poor average despite repeated in the Test team often lobbed at him. However, he will have hoped to have turned a page, given the showcase he put on at Headingley. While the numbers might not be make-or-break for Rahul, he does have the distinction of being the player with the most centuries as an opener in England, this being his third of his career. He outdoes Rahul Dravid, who previously had two, as well as Sunul Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri. Rahul isn’t happy with where his average is, but he has also realised that if he plays well and finds a zone for himself, the runs and that average will follow.  “Of course, it hurts when I look at my average. But at this stage, I don’t want to think about numbers. I want to make an impact whenever I get a chance and enjoy playing Test cricket for India and it’s what I grew up loving,” explained Rahul. With all the talent to be a gamechanger of a player in this Test series, it goes over to the Indian bowling unit to try and produce a result in the first Test match, with England needing a further 350 runs and India needing all 10 wickets in an incredibly balanced contest heading into day 5.

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IND vs ENG: Rishabh Pant equals Sachin Tendulkar's record, now only behind Rahul Dravid | Cricket News

IND vs ENG: Rishabh Pant equals Sachin Tendulkar’s record, now only behind Rahul Dravid | Cricket News

Rishabh Pant (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) Rishabh Pant continued to cement his reputation as India’s most fearless wicketkeeper-batter, notching up twin centuries in the Headingley Test and matching multiple records along the way. After scoring a fluent 134 in the first innings, Pant added another 118 in the second, becoming the first Indian to score centuries in both innings of a Test in England. He now joins India’s twin centuries club which includes Vijay Hazare, Sunil Gavaskar (three times), Rahul Dravid (twice), Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma. Pant’s consistency in England is fast earning him a special place among India’s batting greats. His four Test hundreds in England put him alongside Sachin Tendulkar and Dilip Vengsarkar, both of whom have four Test centuries in the country. Only Rahul Dravid has more for India, with six Test tons in England. Pant’s twin hundreds also made him only the second designated wicketkeeper to achieve this feat in Test history after Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower. His match aggregate of 252 runs is the highest by an Indian wicketkeeper in a Test, breaking Budhi Kunderan’s record of 230 against England in Chennai in 1964. It is also the fourth-highest match aggregate by any wicketkeeper in Test cricket, with only Flower ahead of him. KL Rahul press conference: On his role, being elder brother in team, role clarity and match Pant’s power-hitting was on full display at Headingley as he struck nine sixes in the second innings, equalling the record for the most sixes in a Test in England alongside Andrew Flintoff and Ben Stokes.Quiz: Who’s that IPL player? Pant has also joined an elite list of visiting batters with five consecutive fifty-plus scores in England, putting him in the same bracket as Don Bradman, Hansie Cronje, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Kumar Sangakkara and Daryl Mitchell. Only Steven Smith has more, with seven. The Headingley Test was historic for India too, as the team produced five centuries in the same match for the first time. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Pant scored centuries in the first innings while KL Rahul and Pant added two more in the second. After bringing up his second century, Pant brushed off Sunil Gavaskar’s playful suggestion to celebrate with a somersault, saving it for another day and instead launching a quick counterattack on Joe Root before falling for 118. Pant’s record-breaking spree in England underlines his growing stature as one of India’s most impactful batters in overseas Tests.

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'Two good': Sanjiv Goenka lauds Rishabh Pant's aggression, gives special mention to KL Rahul | Cricket News

‘Two good’: Sanjiv Goenka lauds Rishabh Pant’s aggression, gives special mention to KL Rahul | Cricket News

Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul (Getty Images) NEW DELHI: Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka took to social media to celebrate as Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul slammed centuries in India’s second innings against England during the first Test at Headingley Cricket Stadium in Leeds on Monday, June 23. Pant created history by becoming only the second wicketkeeper-batsman to score centuries in both innings of a Test and the first Indian to do so in England.Pant, who currently captains the Lucknow franchise in the IPL, smashed 118 off 140 balls in the second innings. Rahul, the franchise’s first captain from 2022 to 2024, scored a patient 137 off 247 deliveries.“Two good! Back-to-back centuries for @RishabhPant17. Aggressive, audacious, brilliant. Only the second wicketkeeper in history to score a century in both innings of a Test. Congratulations also to @klrahul for his hundred,” Goenka posted on X.The duo stitched together a vital 195-run stand for the fifth wicket after India lost skipper Shubman Gill early on Day 3 for just 8. Their partnership powered India to set a target of over 350 for England.In the first innings, Pant had scored 134 in India’s total of 477. Rahul, who now holds the record for the most centuries by an Asian opener in England, made 42 after England opted to bowl first. Greenstone Lobo predicts winner of IND vs ENG series | Who Has the Astrological Edge? The Lucknow Super Giants franchise, owned by Goenka, was formed in 2022. Rahul led the team for three seasons before Pant took over the captaincy.The Rahul-Pant partnership played a crucial role in India’s dominance in the match, helping the visitors recover from an early setback and firmly take control.

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IND vs ENG: 'You just let Rishabh Pant be Rishabh Pant' - KL Rahul hails star batter after twin tons as India set England 371-run target | Cricket News

IND vs ENG: ‘You just let Rishabh Pant be Rishabh Pant’ – KL Rahul hails star batter after twin tons as India set England 371-run target | Cricket News

KL Rahul (Pic credit: Sahil Malhotra/TimesofIndia.com) Timesofindia.com in Leeds: ‘You just let Rishabh Pant be Rishabh Pant. Stand out there and admire.’ KL Rahul’s words summed up the essence of day four at Headingley, where the Indian duo of Rahul and Pant unleashed twin centuries to propel India to 364 all out in their second innings, setting England a steep 371-run target.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!By stumps, England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett had reached 21 without loss. The series opener remains delicately poised with 350 more needed by the hosts and one full day to go.Pant, who made 134 in the first innings, completed his second century of the match with a thrilling 118 off 140 balls – becoming the first Indian to hit twin tons in a Test against England and only the second wicketkeeper in history to achieve the feat. Greenstone Lobo predicts winner of IND vs ENG series | Who Has the Astrological Edge? KL Rahul, anchoring the innings with a composed 137 off 247 balls, was at his vintage best. “Was happy with the way I was batting in Australia… Unfortunately couldn’t get big runs. I learnt there that once I get starts, I’ll convert into big ones,” he said after the day’s play.On his ever-evolving role in the batting order, he admitted: “Last couple of years I have forgotten what position I am comfortable in. I am ready for whatever has been given to me. I have enjoyed my role as an opener the last couple of series.”Rahul also spoke about helping younger players adjust to English conditions. “Everyone wants to learn, get better at their game. Whoever has come and spoken to me, we’ve had lengthy conversations. It was something that used to happen earlier also.”Despite India losing their last six wickets for 31 runs, they had done enough damage. England pacer Josh Tongue, who triggered India’s late collapse, said: “It’s a shame I couldn’t get the hat-trick… but the dressing room is very positive. We have a very good batting order.”Day five promises fireworks – or a fight for survival.

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IND vs ENG Test: KL Rahul didn't just bat with Rishabh Pant — he watched over him, like an elder brother would | Cricket News

IND vs ENG Test: KL Rahul didn’t just bat with Rishabh Pant — he watched over him, like an elder brother would | Cricket News

KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant (Getty Images) TimesofIndia.com in Leeds: Early in their partnership, the stump mic picked up a heartwarming conversation between KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant where the former was urging his younger teammate to watch the ball closely. Pant heard him and responded, “hanji… aise nahi hai aise hi ghuma du… ball acche se dekhta hu.” (yes, it’s not that I swing wildly, I watch it nicely). From the outside, it may feel like a normal conversation between two batters looking to bail the side out of trouble after the early hiccup – Shubman Gill’s wicket – but it meant much more. It felt much more.There is a six-year age gap between KL Rahul and Pant, and while it’s not the ideal difference between siblings of an average Indian family, the camaraderie in the middle certainly felt like one. Without being authoritative, Rahul was putting the point across to Pant with an unsaid sense of assurance in his tone. The young batter was all ears and the “hanji” – hindi word for yes used while addressing someone senior to you – said and conveyed a lot more.This is an Indian dressing room undergoing transition and Rahul, as far as batting is concerned, is the only link between the past and the future. Since making his debut in 2014, the right-hander has played with the former greats, seen plenty come in and out of the side and is now witnessing the youngsters – who made their debuts in front of him – take the next step in their Test careers. Rahul, however, hasn’t turned that guiding angel for the young batters overnight.It was visible during the numerous net sessions in Australia where he would guide Yashasvi Jaiswal, speak to him constantly and maintain the chatter even when the two opened the innings together. It was a much star-studded dressing room back then but things have changed now. He is the senior pro who has taken the responsibility of making the youngsters comfortable.And he was doing just that when Pant walked out to bat under an overcast sky, windy conditions and against a bowling attack which was asking a lot of questions in the first hour of day’s play. Pant and Rahul together wasn’t going to be similar music from both ends and it was a throwback to the 90s where the audio cassettes were dominated by 2-in-1 collections. One side would have music completely different from the other. Vengaboys on one side and a Yash Chopra classic on the other meant there was something for everyone.With their own means and ways, the two drove India into a position of control. Rahul continued to be patient, calm and left the ball as well as anyone has in this part of the world. Pant, meanwhile, entered a period of self-talking where he calmed himself to weather the early storm and then returned to maverick ways before making timely returns to sensibility.Rahul faced 143 deliveries during the partnership, Pant faced 140 and the two contributed 66 and 118 runs, respectively. The contributions, however, weren’t of importance here but the manner in which they complimented each other, in spite of the different approaches, was. The elder brother in Rahul didn’t miss an opportunity to walk up to his teammate when he would sense him getting edgy – which happened far too often.With Pant, every delivery becomes an event but Rahul, having played so much cricket with the explosive left-hander, timed his chats to perfection and didn’t come across as the overbearing senior instructing from the other end. When he was leaving consecutive deliveries in the 90s, Rahul let him be. Even when he went big off Shoaib Bashir, Rahul let him be. And when the hundred finally came, the long warm hug showed how much it meant to Pant, and Rahul, as together the two batted India into a very good position in the opening Test against England. Greenstone Lobo predicts winner of IND vs ENG series | Who Has the Astrological Edge? It was shortly after that Rahul got the chance to kiss the crest on his helmet but this partnership was more than about the individual tons. Many moons ago, the two had put on a show at The Oval in 2018 when they hit hundreds vs Joe Root & Co. but it came for a side littered with superstars, led by one of the modern day-greats, Virat Kohli.The superstars have now walked into the sunset, the greats have called it a day but Rahul, who has had a ringside view to the movements and transitions, has moved up the hierarchy. He opted for Tamil when Sai Sudharsan was in the middle, Hindi for Pant and switched to Kannada for Karun Nair. The language changed but the intention remained the same.The soft-spoken tattooed youngster is now the elder brother in a very young dressing room led by a 25-year-old captain.

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Pant, Rahul tons help India set England 371 in Leeds Test

Pant, Rahul tons help India set England 371 in Leeds Test

KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant hit contrasting centuries on the fourth day to set England 371 to win the first Test at Headingley, Leeds. In reply, England batted out six overs for 21/0, setting up this Test for all four results on Tuesday where they have 90 overs to score 350 runs. KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant struck fine centuries before India were all out for 364 in their second innings in Leeds. (AP) This was Pant’s second hundred of the game, making him only the second wicketkeeper, after Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower (141 and 199* v South Africa – Harare, 2001) to achieve this feat in Tests. You also know it’s a special Test if five Indians have scored hundreds across two innings in an unprecedented feat, that too at Leeds, the theatre of two of the most absurd Test results in history. More invigorating was the calm with which India batted for nearly 100 overs after the day started with the early dismissal of Shubman Gill. This turnaround, mind you, is barely nine months into the shocking home series loss to New Zealand, followed by a hiding at Australia that had expedited the transition into a younger side. We were told to brace for choppy waters, and yet here India are, daring England to do their thing. At the heart of this challenge were the two hundreds — Rahul’s ninth and Pant’s eighth – and a 195-run stand for the fourth wicket it produced, which started with quietly playing out the first session before the scoring steadily picked up. Key to this staggered scoring was Gill’s dismissal, Brydon Carse making him drag on to his stumps in what was only the second over of the day. That was the cue for Rahul to frustrate England by leaving and blocking the moving ball with expertise rarely witnessed in a visiting batter. Pant too shelved his aggression for a while, leaving England searching for more breakthroughs. Those that came their way were grassed though. Rahul was on 55 when he tried to guide Josh Tongue over gully. The ball however reared up on him and Rahul couldn’t control the shot, leading to an edge that flew to Brook who couldn’t react in time. Pant was given two reprieves, first when he edged through a vacant first slip on 31, before flirting with the first slip by edging past him when on 49. It took 83 balls for Pant to reach his fifty. Once there, Pant threw caution to the wind, taking only 47 balls to get to his second hundred of the game, 22 of those deliveries consumed in moving from 95. At the other end, Rahul was a picture of calm, playing late with soft hands, copping a few blows to the glove but keeping the ball on the ground. Stokes seemed to rile him the most, prodigiously swinging the ball. But to Rahul’s credit, he never let the main goal out of his sight. Frustrating England throughout the first session, Rahul took the reins of the game by dictating the pace of the innings. To Stokes, he punched him through covers for a sumptuous four. To Carse, he then unleashed a cut so late that third slip and gully could only watch it bissect them. A two through covers saw Rahul reach his eighth overseas hundred, his sixth outside Asia as an opener, with only Sunil Gavaskar ahead of him with 15 hundreds. This was also a personal triumph for Rahul, considering the circumstances in which he had headed into this series. By hierarchy and seniority, India’s Test captaincy should have ideally gone to Rahul but of far greater consequence was the runs left in him. A middling average in the 30s a decade into his career, there was no denying that decay had set in. To be fair, his calmness was underutilised for a long time as well, prompting him to drift between formats, not sure of his destiny. Only an innings with a rare blend of class and delicacy could have put an end to all that talk. Thankfully for him, it came in the series opener itself. Getting to his hundred was licence to break loose, and so Pant hammered Joe Root for three fours and a six in an over. Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was taken for runs earlier, conceding two sixes in the 58th over. And so, when he returned after Root’s pounding, Pant quickly went after him. Only this time he found the fielder at long-on, bringing Karun Nair to the crease. He reverse-swept Bashir for four but couldn’t go past after Chris Woakes brilliantly held on to a return catch. This was where the wobble started, which to be fair isn’t new with India. India lost 7/41 in the first innings, and in the second innings too it was a worrying 6/31. Tongue took three wickets in an over but Ravindra Jadeja stayed around to contribute 12. Is 371 enough? Statistically yes. Only once though have India lost defending a 350-plus score — at Edgbaston in 2022. That is bound to hang heavy on their psyche as this Test moves into the fifth day with England raring to chase down.

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Watch: KL Rahul shows off his multilingual skills during 2nd innings hundred in Leeds

Watch: KL Rahul shows off his multilingual skills during 2nd innings hundred in Leeds

KL Rahul showed off his multilingual skills during the course of his second-innings hundred against England in the Leeds Test. Rahul scored a magnificent 137 and shared partnerships with Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant and Karun Nair during the course of his knock, with all three men coming from different states. In the video that has gone viral on social media, Rahul was seen taking to Sudharsan in Tamil. The Indian opener told the youngster from Tamil Nadu that there was some good bounce on the track and he would need to be cautious. “Machi, nalla bounce irikke. (There is some good bounce on the track.),” Rahul was seen telling Sudharsan. When it came to Pant, Rahul was seen constantly talking to Pant during their 195-run stand and calming his partner down in hindi. The Indian opener was constantly chatting with his vice-captain to ensure that India had the upper hand in the second session. When it came to his close friend Karun, the duo were seen talking in Kannada. Rahul’s multilingual skills impress Dinesh Karthik Dinesh Karthik, who was on commentary duty with Sky Sports, was impressed by the versatility shown by Rahul while talking to his teammates. “He’s speaking Tamil to Sai sudharshan, speaking in Hindi to Rishabh and now he’s speaking in kannada to Karun Nair. Not only versatile in batting but also in languages,” said Karthik. When it came to the batting, Rahul was just a class apart from others. The Indian opener personified calmness and got to his hundred in 202 balls. He went past Sunil Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid to be the Indian opener with the most hundreds in England. Rahul’s hundred helped India reach 365 in the second innings and set a target of 371 for England to chase. – Ends Published On: Jun 23, 2025 Tune In

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Before the storm, India’s calculated Test-like calm

Before the storm, India’s calculated Test-like calm

Kolkata: In the first session on Day 4, India added 63 runs in nearly 25 overs. The first 100 runs of the fourth-wicket partnership between KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant consumed 194 balls. These are numbers you could relate to in Test cricket. Note however the small discrepancy in India’s scoring rate across two innings of the first test. On a spicy Headingley pitch that was occasionally under cloud cover, India had ended the first innings with a run rate of 4.16. Batting becomes comparatively easier in the second innings with the pitch easing up and the outfield quickening but India still chose to be cautious for a while after Shubman Gill played on to his stumps. India’s KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant stitched a 195-run partnership in the second innings at Leeds. (AP) It was not without reason. Reflect on the few years of the Stokes-McCullum axis and you know how England prefer to operate in Test cricket, with an unconditional commitment towards playing the sport without any hang-ups. It is a rallying call their players have responded to with an audacity that has spurred fantastic victories and riveting finishes. But it’s also a one-dimensional outlook without any contingency. Slowing down the pace of the game thus was a brilliant way of asking questions of England they don’t want to answer. The dismissal of Gill could have led to more wickets. Rahul was patience incarnate but Pant was at the other end, and you know it’s not always chanceless from him. But England were flat throughout. The scorecard will never dwell on the breakup of the innings showing this detail but those 194 balls underscored the practicality of winning a Test that India resorted to. England, for all their philosophy of playing entertaining cricket, weren’t fooling anyone too. The bowling was uninspiring, field placements even more predictable as England slowly slipped into a state where they were waiting for a mistake rather than forcing India to make it. At the heart of it was the first session, not too madcap, not too frenetic, just absorbing enough to keep everyone interested. One day left, 90 overs theoretically. There is forecast for rain but England nowadays need around 50 overs to overhaul 300-plus chases. But what often gets overlooked in the hype over their chasing belligerence is how conveniently the concept of playing time is relegated to the backburner. Which is why England found it difficult to embrace India’s tactic of slowing down the pace of their second innings. Rahul and Pant leaving the ball — a dour, boring, process — for the bulk of the first session, rendered England’s tactic useless. While India were ticking the right boxes, England were leaving too many loose ends. Slip catching was one such area. To straightaway attack the batter’s outside edge after lunch is an age-old tactic that England didn’t pay enough attention to. Pant was on 31, still trying to find the right way of playing in the conditions, but England played into his hands by starting with no slip fielders to Josh Tongue. First ball after lunch Pant could have easily edged off Tongue but Stokes failed to react. Next over from Tongue, Pant did get an edge that should have been a regulation catch at first slip. Instead, it raced away to the boundary. Chance missed, Stokes should have ideally doubled down on the close-in fielding. But so unusually was he focused on being defensive, spreading the field around, that he never woke up to the fact that Pant could again risk runs behind the wicket. Which happened, again to Tongue around an hour into the second session. Pant walloping two sixes against Shoaib Bashir should have been the cue that he was warming up to play big shots. But Stokes missed it again. This time Pant’s edge flew through the vacant second slip area. Cricket is still a game of taking 20 wickets. So, to miss two chances this big in order to save boundaries is a mighty departure for an England side known to play high-risk, high-reward cricket. That, notwithstanding how this Test pans out, is a win in itself.

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KL Rahul firmly tells Rishabh Pant to be watchful before playing shots, wicketkeeper retorts: ‘Achhe se dekhta hoon’

KL Rahul firmly tells Rishabh Pant to be watchful before playing shots, wicketkeeper retorts: ‘Achhe se dekhta hoon’

Day 4 of the Leeds Test saw the calmness of KL Rahul and the madness of Rishabh Pant at the same time in the middle during the first session. Rahul, who completed his half-century, was watchful and disciplined with his approach, while Pant, on the other hand, didn’t shy away from playing his usual audacious shots. The left-handed batter attempted a slog sweep to scoop shot to get the scoreboard moving, while Rahul relied on traditional textbook shots to provide stability to the innings. KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant stabilised Indian innings in first session on Day 4.(AP) The two batters were unbeaten at Lunch, and India was in a stable position at 153/3. Rahul scored an unbeaten 72, while Pant was batting on 32. The 61-run stand helped India recover from the early blow of skipper Shubman Gill, who was dismissed for 8. During their stand, Rahul played the senior batter’s role with perfection and kept reminding Pant to stay calm when he was looking to play some flashy shots. A video went viral on X, where Rahul was seen telling Pant to watch the ball carefully before hitting. Rahul told Pant, “Ball achhe se dekho.” To which the wicketkeeper batter replied: “Nahi aisa nahi hai aise hi ghuma du ball achhe se dekhta hoon.” In another video, Pant seen telling Rahul, “Paki hui waali ball, Itna Tamiz khelne ke chakkar me choot rahi hai. (That was a ripe delivery to put away, but he’s missing out by being overly cautious.)” Pant-Rahul stabilise India’s innings before Lunch on Day 4 Earlier, with the pitch offering significant help to the seamers, first-innings centurion Shubman Gill managed to add only two runs to his overnight total before falling to Brydon Carse for 8. Carse delivered a sharp, good-length ball that nipped back in off the seam, catching Gill off guard. The batter could only manage a thick inside edge, which ricocheted onto the stumps to end his stay early. England continued to create chances. Rahul was dropped by Harry Brook on 58 after reaching his 18th Test half century and Pant survived a DRS review for lbw. However, Rahul and Pant were watchful in the last half-hour of the session, playing cautiously. Weathering the early freshness of the wicket, they shared a 61-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

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