Indian batsmen continued their dominance on the second day of the first Test match in Leeds, England. Following on from the first day's b start, openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Shubman Gill both scored centuries.
Sports News: In the first match of the five-Test series between India and England, Rishabh Pant achieved a historic feat. While Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Shubman Gill's centuries on the first day in Leeds decimated England's bowling attack, on the second day, vice-captain and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant smashed a brilliant century, not only thrilling the spectators but also breaking Mahendra Singh Dhoni's 11-year-old record.
Pant's seventh Test century made him the Indian wicketkeeper-batsman with the most Test centuries. He achieved this feat in just 44 Test matches, while Dhoni scored 6 centuries in 90 matches.
Century Completed with a Six, Against an English Spinner
The most striking aspect of Pant's batting was his aggressive style. He didn't treat his century as just a number; he finished it in style – with a six! This is the third time Pant has completed a Test century with a six, and interestingly, all three times it has been against English spinners.
First against Adil Rashid, then Joe Root, and this time Shoaib Bashir's ball was sent soaring out of the ground to complete the hundred. He accomplished this feat in 146 balls, once again proving that he has become synonymous with aggression and attacking prowess in Test cricket.
Rishabh Shines on Overseas Pitches
This century is Pant's third Test century in England. He has now scored a total of five Test centuries in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia). This statistic highlights the reliability and effectiveness of Pant's batting on overseas pitches. His success is even more significant because SENA pitches are considered challenging for Asian batsmen. However, Pant has not only shown resilience but has also played match-winning innings there.
Pant's name is now etched at the pinnacle of Indian wicketkeeping history. Here's a look at the most Test centuries scored by Indian wicketkeeper-batsmen:
- Rishabh Pant - 7 centuries
- Mahendra Singh Dhoni - 6 centuries
- Wriddhiman Saha - 3 centuries
- Farokh Engineer - 2 centuries
- Budhi Kunderan - 2 centuries
Most Test Centuries by Wicketkeeper-Batsmen
- Adam Gilchrist - 17 centuries (Australia)
- Andy Flower - 12 centuries (Zimbabwe)
- Les Ames - 8 centuries (England)
- Rishabh Pant - 7 centuries (India)
- AB de Villiers - 7 centuries (South Africa)
- Kumar Sangakkara - 7 centuries (Sri Lanka)
- BJ Watling - 7 centuries (New Zealand)
- Matt Prior - 7 centuries (England)
Rishabh Pant's performance is not just a matter of statistics; it demonstrates that Indian cricket now believes in playing aggressively in every situation. This innings not only gives Team India a psychological advantage but also instills fear in the minds of the opposition bowlers.
