Second line of defence: Pant's golden rule helps him master the art of playing late

Second line of defence: Pant’s golden rule helps him master the art of playing late

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Rishabh Pant seems to have all the time in the world while facing the fastest bowlers and it is such a fascinating sight to see him dismantle them with ease. As the only wicketkeeper to score back-to-back centuries in England, Pant has once again demonstrated his rare ability to play attacking shots at will — even in testing conditions.

While KL Rahul — who played a fantastic knock — took 202 balls to reach his sixth Test century as an opener outside Asia, Pant, despite a 26-ball wait in the nineties, brought up his eighth Test hundred off just 130 deliveries. He was understandably cautious, having fallen in the 90s on seven previous occasions.

But what truly makes Pant such a dangerous batter — especially against swing bowling — is his incredible hand-eye coordination, fast hands, fearless mindset, and his ability to pick length early. Even as a middle-order batter, he plays late and adapts quickly, which gives him that extra half-second that most players crave in overseas conditions. It’s not just skill; it’s instinct sharpened through fearless cricket.

Most importantly, Pant follows the golden rule of playing with a second line of defence — a technique that allows him to play the ball late and make a split-second decision to either block or attack. This is what gives him the impression of having “extra time” — something few batters in world cricket possess.

To execute this effectively, he keeps his back leg free, which helps him adjust to late swing, especially in England, and stay balanced while playing in that second line. It’s this combination of technical awareness and instinctive timing that makes Pant so effective — especially in conditions where the ball moves.

This is the same Pant who wasn’t given a single game during the Champions Trophy. And now, he’s showing the kind of maturity and technique from which the entire team can learn — especially the art of playing late, rather than trying to meet swing too early. Pant’s evolution isn’t just a personal milestone; it’s a blueprint for how Indian batters can succeed away from home.

This is the same Pant often labeled a ‘T20 baby’, who has seamlessly adapted to the rigors of Test cricket — defying the long-held belief that only traditional Test players can succeed across formats, not the other way around. His success turns that theory on its head, proving that with the right temperament and technique, even an explosive white-ball player can thrive in the purest form of the game. He is surely changing the definition of this game!