Vice-captain Rishabh Pant, as one of the senior members of the Indian Test team, has led from the front in England with two centuries and two fifties in the first five innings of the series.
India last won a Test series in England back in 2007, and after a great start to the ongoing tour, the new-look team is raring to end the wait in 2025.
The captain and vice-captain duo of Shubman Gill (601) and Pant (416) top the batting charts, keeping the series well poised after two-and-a-half Tests played.
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One of the key members of the 2007 triumph, opener Wasim Jaffer believes Pant will be a crucial cog in the remainder of the series, as he regards the southpaw to be an X-factor to pull off something special.
Here's what Jaffer had to say about Pant's batting.
Jaffer backs Pant to be game-changer for India in England, draws Sehwag comparison
While talking to RevSportz during the ongoing Test at Lord's, the former opener has called Pant an X-factor in India's success on the England tour.
For his swashbuckling batting style that disrupts the rhythm of the opposition bowlers, Jaffer has compared the middle-order batter to Virender Sehwag, who used to carry a similar batting template as an opener.
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"He brings the X-Factor into that line-up. In our time, Virender Sehwag used to be like that. Rishabh Pant is also pretty similar. In fact, probably a little bit more. He knows how to get runs. You know, you’ve got to give credit to him. No matter how he bats, he knows how to score runs," said Jaffer.
The 47-year-old emphasized Pant's importance in the Indian team's recent success and thinks the batter needs to be given all the freedom to apply their own methods and take the games away from the opponents.
"He puts the opposition under pressure and has his own style and methods. As long as he is scoring runs, he is, you know, bailing the Indian team out. He has won India Test matches and series. So, you can’t question him. You need to give that freedom to such players," he added.
"You can’t tie them up. Otherwise, we won’t see what we are seeing from Rishabh Pant. I hope that he stays consistent and fit. Because he brings a lot of joy, he is somebody who keeps you on the edge of your seat. That is something we love about him."
How has Rishabh Pant performed in England 2025?
The left-handed batter started the series at Headingley with twin-centuries, followed by another fifty in Edgbaston, before he scored a crucial 74 runs at the Lord's to rescue India from 107/3.
With 5 innings to go, Pant is the 2nd highest run-scorer in the series behind captain Gill.
| Match | Score | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Test | 134 & 118 | Headingley, Leeds. |
| 2nd Test | 25 & 65 | Edgbaston, Birmingham. |
| 3rd Test | 74 | Lord's, London. |