“I don’t know if you saw Rishabh Pant last night” - Harry Brook praises Indian wicketkeeper’s knock in BGT 2024-25 2nd Test

England batter Harry Brook hailed Rishabh Pant's attacking display in the second Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval. The wicketkeeper-batter came out all guns blazing and took down Scott Boland for a boundary by stepping out the very first ball after India were reduced to 66-3 in the second innings. He also played an audacious reverse scoop off the same bowler, a few deliveries later.

Across the Tasman Sea, Brook also produced a counter-attacking knock. The middle-order batter came to England's rescue in the first innings of the second Test against New Zealand in Wellington. Coming into bat at 26-3, Brook scored 123 runs off 115 deliveries to guide England to 280. The visitors secured a historic 323-run win while Brook was adjudged Player of the Match.

The right-handed batter cited Rishabh Pant as an example of how fearless batting has influenced modern-day cricket. England have embraced the aggressive play style in Tests ever since Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum took over as captain and coach, respectively, in 2022.

"I don't know if you saw Rishabh Pant last night run down the pitch first ball. To have that sort of courage to get off the mark first-ball is something that we've done exceptionally well over the last couple of years. We say it all the time - we're out there to score runs. We're not there to survive," Brook said after England's win in the 2nd Test (via Hindustan Times).

Pant's counter-attack meant he remained unbeaten at the end of Day 2. He had scored 28 runs off 25 deliveries, including five boundaries. However, he failed to add anything to his overnight score after being dismissed by Mitchell Starc in the very first over on Day 3.

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Rishabh Pant and Harry Brook are two of the biggest middle-order aggressors in Tests currently

Counter-attacking in the middle order to build momentum and stretch the team total has been a common thread among teams. In the changing landscape of Test cricket, several faces have executed this approach to perfection, with the likes of Rishabh Pant, Travis Head, and Harry Brook arguably being the best at it.

The all-or-nothing has backfired at times, but it has paid off when it has gone to plan. Pant has been able to amass starts in the tour of Australia, but has been unable to convert them into something significant.

Brook, on the other hand, continued his love affair with New Zealand, taking his run tally to 678 in the country at an average of 96.86 and a strike rate of 101.04.