Two paths, one partnership: How Rahul and Pant held India together at Headingley

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KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant's careers have often run like two tracks that bend towards each other, but never quite meet. Yet, in a crucial phase of the Headingley Test, they came together to guide India through a tricky period.

Rahul, the senior-most member of a transitioning batting line-up, and Pant, the team's vice-captain, had to work together to build a lead after India were three down for 98. Rahul, known for his classical technique, and Pant, with his unorthodox approach, complemented each other well.

Rahul, who had made a breezy 42 on the first day, trusted his methods and remained calm despite the chaos at the other end. Pant, on the other hand, was writing in another language, playing shots that none of his teammates could understand. However, Rahul didn't try to talk Pant out of his approach, instead, he let him be and kept him calm.

As the session wore on, Pant began to work the gaps, pushing singles and easing into rhythm. The gravity of the situation seemed to find him, and he began to concentrate. Rahul, who had made a mistake earlier, found the luck he desperately craved when Harry Brook dropped a catch to reprieve him on 59.

The partnership flourished after lunch, with Pant taking down Shoaib Bashir and Rahul reaching a 202-ball century. Pant joined him soon after, racing to his second hundred of the match and into the record books. By the time their 195-run stand ended, Pant had surged past Rahul's score and India's lead was touching 300.

Their contrast was reflected not just in tempo, but in how they scored off different lengths, each making up for the other's softer points to keep the opposition boxed in.

Together, Rahul and Pant combined to help set England a daunting fourth-innings target, one that might not be Bazball-proof, but one that still leaves India in a strong position heading into the final day.

Their partnership speaks to the team's growing adaptability and variety, with Pant balancing instinct with responsibility and Rahul steady amid the chaos. In a side reshaped by change, it was two unlikely paths that held firm.