Rishabh Pant etched his name into the record books with centuries in both innings of the first Test against England โ 134 in the first and 118 in the second. He became the first Indian wicketkeeper-batsman to achieve this feat on English soil and only the second wicketkeeper in the world to do so, after Zimbabweโs Andy Flower.
A Subtle Celebration, Not a Somersault
After reaching his second hundred, fans expected Pantโs trademark somersault celebration. Instead, he opted for a new gesture โ placing a hand over one ear.
Watching from the balcony, Sunil Gavaskar playfully urged him to do the somersault. With a smile, Pant responded from the field, indicating heโd save it for next time.
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Gavaskarโs Change of Tone
Interestingly, during the 2021 Australia tour, Gavaskar had criticized Pantโs approach, calling him "stupid." But now, with consistent performances, Gavaskar has hailed him as "super," reflecting Pantโs impressive transformation.
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Pant now joins an exclusive list of Indian batters who have scored centuries in both innings of a Test match:
Vijay Hazare
Sunil Gavaskar (3 times)
Rahul Dravid (2 times)
Virat Kohli
Ajinkya Rahane
Rohit Sharma
Rishabh Pant
His achievement, especially as a wicketkeeper-batter abroad, marks a significant milestone in his growing legacy.
Rahul-Pant Centuries Power India Past 300-Run Leadย
KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant produced brilliant centuries on Day 4 of the first Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test at Headingley, helping India take firm control with their lead stretching beyond 300 runs.
The duo stitched together a superb 195-run partnership, frustrating the England bowlers and turning the tide firmly in Indiaโs favor.
Interestingly, this wasnโt the first time Rahul and Pant have scored centuries together in the same innings โ they had previously achieved this feat at The Oval in 2018.
Indiaโs dominant batting display now puts them in a strong position to push for victory heading into the final day.