Sachin Tendulkar explains Pant’s unconventional ‘falling sweep’

LEEDS: Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar was left impressed on Saturday by Rishabh Pant’s brilliant century in the first innings of the Headingley Test against England.

Tendulkar praised Pant’s fearless and unconventional shot-making, highlighting his unique ‘falling sweep’ technique, which the wicketkeeper-batter executed multiple times during his innings.

Pant, known for his audacious style, scored a commanding 134 runs off 178 balls, including 12 boundaries and six sixes.

One of the standout strokes in his innings was his trademark falling paddle sweep — a shot that often sees him lose balance and end up on the ground.

Tendulkar clarified that this is far from accidental. Sharing his insights on X formerly Twitter, he explained that Pant deliberately goes down with the shot to get under the ball and scoop it over leg slip with control, turning what appears awkward into a smart and effective tactic.

"Rishabh's falling paddle sweep is not accidental. 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," Tendulkar wrote.

The former India captain also praised Pant and Shubman Gill for their clever on-field tactics while facing young England spinner Shoaib Bashir.

Tendulkar noted that the pair deliberately spoke loudly in Hindi between deliveries — a subtle ploy to unsettle Bashir, who understands the language.

"I also noticed something interesting during Bashir’s spell. Shubman and Rishabh were speaking loudly in Hindi between deliveries. It was not 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," Tendulkar concluded.

Meanwhile, Pant has added another feather to his cap by becoming the Indian player with the most sixes in the history of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC).

Pant achieved this feat during a scintillating innings on the opening day of the Headingley Test against England.

Pant, known for his fearless strokeplay, smashed 65 runs in quick time, hitting two sixes that took his overall WTC tally to 58 — surpassing Rohit Sharma’s record of 56 sixes.

Notably, Pant reached this milestone in just 35 matches, compared to Rohit’s 40. While Pant tops the chart for India, England captain Ben Stokes remains the WTC’s overall leader with 83 sixes in 54 matches.