Rishabh Pant’s 63 Impresses Cheteshwar Pujara in 2nd Test

Rishabh Pant produced an important 63-run knock for India in the second Test against Sri Lanka, earning praise from former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara for the way he balanced aggression with control. Pant’s innings came during India’s dominant first-innings performance in Colombo, where the visitors eventually declared at 503/9 on Day 2.

Pant faced 89 deliveries and struck six fours and two sixes. His innings was particularly notable because he was able to attack when the conditions allowed it while avoiding the kind of predictability that can make an aggressive batter easier for Test opponents to contain.

Pujara, speaking during the broadcast, highlighted one extraordinary six from Pant and explained why the shot was especially significant after what had happened to the batter the previous day.

Pant responds to a similar delivery with a huge six

One of the standout moments of Pant’s innings came against Lahiru Kumara. The Indian wicketkeeper-batter launched a huge six over fine leg, producing the kind of aggressive stroke that has become closely associated with his Test batting.

Pujara pointed out that Pant had been struck by a similar delivery on the previous day. Rather than allowing that experience to affect his approach, Pant appeared ready for the opportunity when a comparable ball arrived again.

The result was a massive six that reportedly struck a solar panel before travelling beyond the stadium area.

Pujara described the shot as something only a player with Pant’s unique attacking instincts could produce against the new ball.

However, the former India batter made it clear that the six itself was not the only reason he was impressed. For Pujara, Pant’s overall approach was more important than one spectacular stroke.

Why Pujara called Pant’s innings sensible

Rishabh Pant is often associated with attacking cricket, but Pujara’s praise focused on the maturity shown during the 63-run innings.

Rather than attacking every delivery, Pant appeared to assess the bowling and choose different scoring options depending on the type of bowler in front of him.

This is an important development for a batter whose natural aggression can sometimes create high-risk moments. In Test Cricket, the ability to attack is valuable, but knowing when to attack and when to rotate the strike can be even more important.

Pujara’s assessment suggests that Pant is becoming more conscious of this balance.

Pant used different options against Sri Lanka’s spinners

Another aspect of Pant’s innings that caught Pujara’s attention was his approach against spin.

According to Pujara, Pant did not rely excessively on conventional straight shots against the spinners. Instead, he used the sweep and reverse sweep to disturb the bowlers’ plans and make field placement more difficult.

That approach can be particularly effective in Test cricket because spinners often rely on creating predictable scoring patterns and setting fields accordingly.

By using different angles, Pant forced Sri Lanka’s bowlers to consider more possibilities.

Pant’s plan against Keshara Nuwantha

Pant’s approach against Keshara Nuwantha also demonstrated that his aggression was not completely random.

Pujara noted that Pant did not repeatedly charge down the pitch against the spinner. Instead, he waited for opportunities to attack from his crease and produced a six over mid-on.

This difference is subtle but important.

A batter who attacks in the same way repeatedly can allow the opposition to prepare a specific response. Pant’s ability to change his method makes it harder for bowlers to predict what he will attempt next.

How Pant attacked Prabath Jayasuriya

When Prabath Jayasuriya came into the attack, Pant adjusted his scoring areas again.

Pujara observed that Pant played shots straighter and also targeted the midwicket region. Instead of trying to force the same type of stroke against every spinner, he appeared to respond to the angle and length of the deliveries.

This variation was one of the biggest positives from his innings.

For an aggressive Test batter, adaptability is often the difference between attacking cricket and reckless cricket. Pant’s innings showed more evidence of the former.

Six fours and two sixes in a 63-run innings

Pant eventually scored 63 runs from 89 balls, including six fours and two sixes.

He was dismissed while attempting another attacking stroke against Keshara Nuwantha, being caught at long-off.

Although the dismissal came while trying to play a big shot, it did not erase the positive elements of his innings.

His contribution helped India continue building a substantial first-innings total, with the visitors eventually declaring at 503/9.

Pujara explains why Pant previously became predictable

Pujara also offered a broader explanation for some of Pant’s earlier difficulties.

According to the former India batter, Pant’s attacking strengths had become easier for opponents to identify through video analysis.

Modern international cricket provides teams with enormous amounts of footage. Analysts can examine where a batter scores most frequently, which deliveries generate attacking strokes and which areas can be targeted with specific field placements.

For an unconventional batter such as Pant, this creates a unique challenge.

If an opponent understands his preferred scoring zones, bowlers can change their plans and captains can position fielders accordingly.

Pant is learning how to counter opposition planning

Pujara believes Pant has started to understand that opponents will actively prepare for his strengths.

When teams spread the field to restrict his preferred shots, Pant cannot simply continue attempting the same strokes. He needs to find singles, rotate the strike and discover alternative scoring areas.

That appears to be one of the adjustments Pujara noticed during the second Test.

Instead of treating every delivery as an opportunity for a boundary, Pant has shown signs of choosing different methods depending on the circumstances.

This could make him significantly more difficult to contain over long Test innings.

The importance of unpredictability in Test cricket

Unpredictability has always been one of Pant’s biggest strengths, but maintaining it requires constant evolution.

Once a batter becomes successful with a particular scoring pattern, opposition teams inevitably study it. The best players respond by developing new options rather than relying exclusively on what worked previously.

Pant’s use of sweeps, reverse sweeps, shots through different areas and selective attacks against the new ball suggests that he is continuing to expand his game.

That development could be particularly valuable during long Test series, where bowlers have multiple innings to study a batter.

Pant’s role in India’s batting strategy

India’s decision to declare at 503/9 meant Pant’s contribution was part of a much larger batting effort.

The substantial total put Sri Lanka under immediate pressure. By the close of Day 2, the hosts had been reduced to 8/2, leaving them with a huge deficit.

That situation illustrates why Pant’s role is important. As a wicketkeeper-batter capable of changing the tempo of an innings, he can provide India with a different dimension in the middle and lower-middle order.

He does not necessarily need to score a hundred every time to influence a Test. An aggressive but controlled 50 or 60 can change the momentum and place pressure on the opposition.

Why Pant’s improved shot selection matters

The most encouraging aspect of Pujara’s analysis is that he did not focus solely on Pant’s boundary count.

Instead, he highlighted the thinking behind the strokes.

That distinction matters because Pant’s long-term value to India will depend not only on his ability to produce spectacular shots but also on his ability to recognize when the situation demands patience.

A more unpredictable Pant gives opposition bowlers fewer straightforward answers. If he can score through multiple areas while maintaining discipline, field-setting becomes considerably harder for the captain.

What this could mean for Pant’s future Test batting

If Pant continues developing this approach, his batting could become more difficult to counter in Test cricket.

The key will be maintaining the balance he showed in Colombo. His natural attacking instinct should remain an important part of his game, but it can become even more effective when combined with selective aggression and strike rotation.

The biggest challenge will be consistency. One controlled innings is encouraging, but the real evidence will come from whether Pant can repeat this decision-making against different bowling attacks and in different match situations.

Conclusion

Rishabh Pant’s 63-run innings against Sri Lanka offered more than a collection of boundaries and a spectacular six. According to Cheteshwar Pujara, the innings showed an important improvement in the way Pant reads the game and responds to opposition plans.

Pant used different scoring options against the spinners, attacked selectively and demonstrated that he is becoming less predictable. His massive six against Lahiru Kumara also showed that his trademark aggression remains firmly intact.

India’s declaration at 503/9 and Sri Lanka’s early collapse to 8/2 gave the visitors a commanding position, but Pant’s individual performance provided an additional positive for India’s Test campaign.

The biggest takeaway is simple: Pant does not need to become less aggressive; he needs to become harder to predict. If he continues combining his natural attacking ability with smarter shot selection, he could become an even more complete and difficult-to-contain Test batter.