IND coach bursts myth about Rishabh Pant's fearless batting approach: ‘He talks a lot about what he does, why he does…’

Kotak revealed that while Pant often discusses his batting plans and strategies off the field, once he’s out in the middle, he shuts out all the talk.

India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak shed light on Rishabh Pant’s approach in red-ball cricket following the wicketkeeper-batter’s impressive start to the Test series against England. Kotak praised Pant for finding the right balance between his natural attacking instinct and the demands of Test cricket, highlighting his maturity and situational awareness.

Rishabh Pant has been in incredible form with the bat in the ongoing series. (AFP)

In the first Test at Headingley, Pant was in spectacular form, hammering centuries in both innings. He scored a counter-attacking 134 off 178 balls in the first innings, followed by another classy 118 off 140 balls in the second. Despite his heroic efforts, India ultimately fell short, losing the match. Pant carried his stellar form into the second Test at Edgbaston. Although he had a modest score of 25 in the first innings, he bounced back with an entertaining and crucial 65 off just 58 balls in the second innings.

Pant’s aggressive style often leads to perceptions of recklessness or a lack of planning.

However, Kotak revealed that while Pant often discusses his batting plans and strategies off the field, once he’s out in the middle, he shuts out all the talk and focuses solely on executing his game. The batting coach highlighted Pant’s ability to remain present and clear-headed at the crease, saying that the left-hander doesn’t overthink while batting, which allows him to play with freedom and confidence.

"Rishabh actually talks a lot about what he does, when he does, why he does. But he is someone who doesn't like to talk too much during his innings because he feels that it changes his mindset and he takes the wrong decisions. That's only when he's batting. Apart from that, he talks about other batters also. He makes proper planning. It's not easy to score hundreds without any planning," Kotak said in the press conference.

'Rishabh Pant does think and takes decision'

Kotak emphasised that players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal bring controlled aggression to the team, often shifting momentum with their fearless approach. He added that while their risk-taking can sometimes backfire, it stems from calculated decision-making — and when it works, it turns the tide in India’s favour.

"Every team will have some aggressive players, who are very good at breaking opposition's momentum. Someone like Jaiswal, who plays the way he plays, someone like Rishabh. But, that does not mean that he doesn't think. He does think and takes decisions. When it goes wrong, it looks bad. But when it goes right, people are happy," he added.