"It wasn’t just casual talk"- Indian legend hails Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant's mind games on Day 2 of ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar has said that the pair of Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant were playing mind games with the bowler, by conversing in Hindi. The 52-year-old pointed out that the duo were trying to disrupt off-spinner Shoaib Bashir's rhythm by speaking in Hindi in the middle, adding they were not merely indulging in casual talk.

Tendulkar said that such tactics never appeared on the scorecard, but did have an impact on the game.

"Noticed something interesting during Bashir’s spell. 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," Tendulkar wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, June 21.

During the first session on Day 2, the stump mic had caught Gill praising Pant in Hindi for his defensive technique. The pair put on 209 runs for the fourth wicket before Gill fell for 147 to Bashir, caught at the mid-wicket boundary.

Sachin Tendulkar feels Rishabh Pant's paddle sweep is not accidental

Rishabh Pant has created a name for himself for his ability to play the paddle sweep against the spinners. Sachin Tendulkar, however, felt that the shot was not accidental and had a clear reason behind it.

"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 on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, June 21.

At the time of writing, India were bowled out for 471 in 113 overs as Josh Tongue took three wickets after lunch, dismissing Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja and Prasidh Krishna to prevent India from getting to the 500-run mark.