India, Aug. 7 -- It was a series that demanded a mix of resilience and audacity, and Rishabh Pant offered just that. After enduring heavy scrutiny during the 2024/25 Australia tour, including a public lashing from Sunil Gavaskar over a rash dismissal at the MCG, Pant walked into the England Tests with a point to prove. He did so emphatically, hammering twin centuries in the first Test, stringing together three more fifties, and finishing the series with a fractured toe and even stronger reputation. For all the fire he brings with the bat, it was the visible maturity in Pant's shot selection and situational awareness that stood out in a series where India clawed their way to a 2-2 draw.

There were still questions about Pant's instinctive ...