# Rishabh Pant kicks ball, takes 21 balls to score in warm-up 2026-08-10T07:58:38+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Times of India reports that Rishabh Pant used his football skills during India's warm-up match against Sri Lanka Cricket XI in Colombo. After being dismissed cheaply in the first innings, Pant took 21 balls to score his first run in the second innings. He then hit three sixes. Head coach Gautam Gambhir appeared surprised by Pant's slow start. The unusual moment of Pant kicking the ball instead of using his bat was widely shared on social media. India won the game by six wickets. The Test series begins on August 15 in Galle. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Tags: cricket warm-up, football skills, Gautam Gambhir, India vs Sri Lanka, Rishabh Pant, Test series Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/rishabh-pant-kicks-ball-instead-of-bat-in-warm-up-game/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/rishabh-pant-kicks-ball-instead-of-bat-in-warm-up-game/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.