Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant’s stump mic chatter was as entertaining as their batting during the India vs England first Test at Headingley. In between their solid defence and attractive boundary that made England’s bowling attack appear ordinary, Pant and Gill constantly chatted while standing at the striker’s and the non-striker’s positions. Sometimes, it was teasing each other, sometimes related to what the bowler was trying to do, and sometimes it was just pure fun. And all of that was in Hindi.
They were so entertaining that they also caught the attention of legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, who termed it a strategy to confuse the English fielders.
Among many episodes between Gill and Pant during their mammoth 209-run partnership for the fourth wicket, Gill teasing Pant to go after Brydon Carse was perhaps the best.
It happened in the first session of Day 2. The over number was 94. Carse was trying to test Pant’s backfoot play by banging the ball in. In the fourth ball of that over, Carse bowled a well-directed bumper at Pant’s body. The Indian keeper-batter ducked under it. As Carse was going back to his mark, Gill told Pant “maar na,” which translates to “Hit ma, no.”
Pant generally likes to take on the short ball, but this one from Carse was a bit too short. His reply to Gill was pure gold.
“Bada ball daal dia yaar. Respect karna pad gaya bohut tagdaa. (He bowled a good one, man! I had to give him a lot of respect).”
Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill’s remarkable 209-run partnership was the highlight of India’s first innings in the opening Test against England. Resuming on 359-3, with Gill unbeaten on 127 and Pant on 65, the pair displayed a compelling mix of composure and aggression that pushed India firmly towards a commanding position before an unexpected collapse.
Gill, captaining India for the first time after Rohit Sharma’s retirement, played with maturity beyond his years. He brought up his highest Test score of 147 with elegant strokeplay, surpassing his previous best of 128. His innings, laced with 19 boundaries and a six, was a masterclass in timing and placement. His off-drive against Chris Woakes to reach the milestone was particularly memorable, showcasing his growing stature as a leader and batsman.
At the other end, Pant unleashed his trademark attacking style. Resuming on 65, he brought up his seventh Test century—and fourth against England—in thrilling fashion, lofting Shoaib Bashir for a one-handed six. The celebration that followed, a somersault, was as energetic as his 134-run knock. His 146-ball innings featured 10 fours and four sixes and kept the scoreboard ticking briskly.
Together, Gill and Pant added 209 runs in just 49 overs, steering India to 430-4 and seemingly toward a total in excess of 500. Their contrasting styles complemented each other perfectly: Gill anchored the innings with finesse while Pant injected momentum with his fearless hitting.
However, the end of their partnership triggered a dramatic collapse, with India losing their final seven wickets for just 41 runs. Still, the stand between Gill and Pant stood out as a blend of flair and focus, a vital foundation in India’s innings that showcased the next generation of Indian batting brilliance.
