Rishabh Pant lit up the opening Test against England with yet another audacious century, reaffirming his reputation as one of cricket’s most unpredictable yet thrilling performers.
The flamboyant Indian wicketkeeper-batter, known for his high-risk strokeplay, reached his seventh Test hundred—and third against England—on Saturday at Headingley in spectacular fashion.
Starting the day on 65, Pant unleashed a flurry of unorthodox shots, including a falling-over ramp for four and a pulled six that propelled him into the 90s. In typical fashion, he bypassed a safe single on 99 and instead launched a towering six over cow corner to bring up his century, drawing rapturous applause from the Leeds crowd.
“Rishabh’s falling paddle sweep is not accidental. It is intentional and extremely clever,” cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar posted on X, praising Pant’s ability to manipulate the ball with flair.
Pant’s explosive 134 came off 178 balls and featured six sixes and 12 boundaries. His four-hour stay at the crease included a 209-run stand with captain Shubman Gill, anchoring India's dominant performance.
Despite past criticism for his risky decisions—including a much-talked-about failed scoop shot that led Sunil Gavaskar to label him “stupid, stupid, stupid” during a radio broadcast—Pant's aggressive approach has proven effective. With this knock, he surpassed Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s tally to become India’s most prolific Test centurion among wicketkeepers.
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India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak defended Pant’s unique style. “Rishabh Pant makes his own plans. He decides and he bats. Just because he plays aggressively doesn’t mean he can’t defend,” Kotak said.
Pant also became the only visiting wicketkeeper to score more than one Test century in England. Remarkably, for the third time, he reached a Test hundred with a six—all against England—joining Rohit Sharma and Sachin Tendulkar in that rare feat.
Even Gavaskar, who once harshly criticised Pant, was won over this time. As Pant celebrated, Gavaskar hailed the moment on air, saying, “Superb, superb, superb."
Source: With inputs from agency