IND vs ENG: Rishabh Pant’s Twin Centuries Rewrite Records at Headingley
In a display of fearless batting and sheer dominance, Rishabh Pant has etched his name into the history books during the recent India vs England Test at Headingley. The dynamic wicketkeeper-batter smashed twin centuries—134 in the first innings and 118 in the second—becoming the first Indian to achieve this remarkable feat in a Test match on English soil. This performance has not only cemented Pant’s status as one of India’s most impactful overseas players but also placed him alongside cricketing legends in multiple record lists.
Pant’s incredible consistency in England has drawn parallels with some of the game’s greatest names. With four Test hundreds in the country, he now equals the tally of Sachin Tendulkar and Dilip Vengsarkar, trailing only Rahul Dravid, who leads with six Test centuries in England. Pant also joins an elite group of Indian batters who have scored twin centuries in a single Test match, including icons like Vijay Hazare, Sunil Gavaskar (who did it thrice), Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, and Dravid (twice).
Adding to his list of accolades, Pant became only the second designated wicketkeeper in Test history to score centuries in both innings of a match, following Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower. His match aggregate of 252 runs smashed the previous record for an Indian wicketkeeper in a Test, overtaking Budhi Kunderan’s 230 set against England in Chennai in 1964. Globally, Pant’s aggregate ranks as the fourth-highest by a wicketkeeper in a Test, with only Flower ahead of him on the all-time list.
The Headingley Test wasn’t just about Pant’s heroics; it was a historic outing for the Indian team as well. For the first time in their Test history, India recorded five centuries in a single match. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Pant powered the first innings with tons, while KL Rahul and Pant added two more in the second. This collective brilliance underscored India’s batting depth and their adaptability to challenging English conditions.
Pant’s aggressive style was on full display as he hammered nine sixes in the second innings, equalling the record for the most sixes in a Test match in England, a feat previously achieved by England’s Andrew Flintoff and Ben Stokes. His knack for entertaining wasn’t limited to the bat; after reaching his second hundred, Pant cheekily declined Sunil Gavaskar’s playful suggestion to celebrate with a somersault, opting instead to launch a fiery counterattack on England captain Joe Root before eventually falling for 118.
On a broader scale, Pant’s form in England places him among the world’s best visiting batters. He now boasts five consecutive fifty-plus scores on English soil, joining an elite list that includes Don Bradman, Hansie Cronje, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Kumar Sangakkara, and Daryl Mitchell. Only Australia’s Steven Smith, with seven such scores, stands ahead of him.
As Rishabh Pant continues to break barriers and rewrite records, his performances in England highlight his growing stature as a game-changer for India in overseas Tests. With each innings, he is not just scoring runs but building a legacy that could one day see him surpasses even the likes of Dravid. For now, the cricket world watches in awe as this fearless southpaw redefines what it means to dominate in the toughest of conditions.