Rishabh Pant, who was unbeaten on 65 at the close of play on Day 1, smashed his 7th Test century, overtaking MS Dhoni as India’s most decorated wicketkeeper-batter in terms of centuries scored in Test cricket. Pant achieved the feat on Day 2 of the ongoing first Test against England in Leeds on Saturday. Former India captain Dhoni scored his sixth and final Test century in 2014. Pant celebrated his century in a unique fashion, dishing out a summersault. Reacting to Pant’s celebration, legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar made a cheeky remark on air.
“After that, you need to keep a stretcher and ambulance ready, just in case,” Gavaskar was heard as saying.
Most Test centuries by designated WKs (India)
7* Rishabh Pant
6 MS Dhoni
3 Wriddhiman Saha
On Day 1, Pant overtook Rohit Sharma to become India’s leading six-hitter in World Test Championship (WTC). Ahead of the match, Pant was tied with Rohit on 56 sixes each, despite playing six less games in that period. He hit two sixes on Day 1 two surpass Rohit and increase his tally. In the overall list, Pant is only behind England captain Ben Stokes, who has smashed 83 sixes in 54 WTC fixtures.
On Day 1, Pant had joined Gill after Jaiswal’s wicket, and he welcomed Stokes with a four on the second ball, a soothing sight after a colossal failure that was his 2025 IPL stint with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), except for a century against champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
During the course of his half-century, Pant overtook Dhoni to become Asia’s most successful wicketkeeper in SENA conditions and also brought up his 3,000 Test runs, becoming only the second after Dhoni to do so.
Earlier on Day 1, a composed century from debutant captain Shubman Gill, a fluent ton by Yashasvi Jaiswal, and a measured innings from vice-captain Rishabh Pant powered India to a dominant 359/3 at stumps on Day 1 of the first Test against England at Headingley on Friday.
Also read, In Faridabad Shocker, Father-In-Law Confesses To Killing, Burying Woman
After Jaiswal set the tone with a sparkling 101 off 159 balls, featuring sixteen boundaries and a six, Gill took over with a captain’s knock, showing maturity and poise throughout his unbeaten 127-run effort. The stylish right-hander struck sixteen fours and a maximum in his 175-ball stay, steering India to their highest-ever first-day total in a Test match on English soil.
Pant supported his skipper brilliantly, remaining unbeaten on 65 from 102 deliveries. His innings was laced with six fours and two towering sixes, and he looked in full control alongside Gill in their unbroken 138-run partnership.
Reference
Stay updated with all the latest news and insights – News Of US
