Sachin Tendulkar has a theory about an innovative ploy he believed Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant used to disrupt Shoaib Bashir during their lengthy partnership at Headingley, believing the pair used Hindi to “play mind games” with the off-spinner.
Gill and Pant added 209 for the fourth wicket to put India in a strong position against England, each making centuries after the hosts had elected to bowl. While Bashir ended the stand, enticing Gill to hit out to the deep fielder on the leg-side, he took some punishment in between.
At first, Gill and Pant were circumspect, hitting 20 runs off his first nine overs. Twenty-one runs followed off his next five as Pant attacked on the first evening, and they were even more severe on the second morning. Pant scooped his first ball for four before pulling him for six, and two more sixes followed soon after as the wicketkeeper crossed his century. Having kept a lid on the scoring rate on the first day, Bashir ended with a scoring rate of 3.7 runs per over off his bowling.
Tendulkar, watching on, felt that there was some trickery at play. “Noticed something interesting during Bashir’s spell,” he tweeted. “Shubman and Rishabh were speaking loudly in Hindi between deliveries. It wasn’t just casual talk. They were playing mind games with the bowler, trying to disrupt his rhythm. These minor details may not appear on the scoreboard, but they can have a significant impact on the game.”
Bashir’s understanding of Hindi has been a point of discussion in England-India contests before, the youngster making his debut against them in 2024. In an on-pitch interaction with Sarfaraz Khan, the India batter questioned Bashir’s language skills: “Isko Hindi bhi nahi aati hai badhiya chalo (He doesn't understand Hindi),” Sarfaraz said. “Thodi thodi aati hain Hindi (I know a bit of Hindi),” Bashir replied, with the exchange going viral.
Tendulkar: Why Pant’s falls aren’t accidents
Tendulkar also offered some insight into a unique aspect of Pant’s game. The keeper has made a habit of getting into unusual positions while and after playing his array of attacking strokes, and did so against England, falling over after his scoop to Bashir’s first ball of the day. However, that trait, according to Tendulkar, is a feature rather than a bug in Pant’s batting software.
“Rishabh's falling paddle sweep is not accidental,” he said. “It is intentional and extremely clever. Going down with the shot allows him to get under the ball and scoop it over leg slip with control.”
Pant eventually fell for 134, helping India post 471 all out in their first innings.
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