Rishabh Pant becomes first wicketkeeper to score twin tons in away Test

Rishabh Pant etched his name into cricketing folklore after slamming twin centuries in the first Test between India and England at Headingley in Leeds. Having scored a majestic 134 in the first innings, the left-hander continued his golden run by following it up with yet another century in the second innings on Monday.

Pant’s second hundred of the match was in stark contrast compared to his earlier knock. While his first-innings century was built on controlled aggression, his second ton displayed restraint in the first session before giving way to his signature attacking flair as the day 4 progressed.

With this, Pant has now become the first wicketkeeper in the history of Test cricket to score centuries in both innings of a Test match away from home. While several wicketkeepers have managed to score a hundred and a fifty in the same match on foreign soil, none before Pant had managed to notch up two centuries in both innings outside their home country.

The only other wicketkeeper to have scored two centuries in a single Test match is Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower, who accomplished the feat against South Africa in Harare in 2001. However, Flower’s performance came in home conditions, which makes Pant’s away-from-home double even more extraordinary.

 After a morning session in which India captain Shubman Gill was the only batsman dismissed, Rahul and Pant upped the tempo in their contrasting styles as India scored 80 runs in the first hour of the second session.

Right-hander KL Rahul hit off-spinner Bashir for a textbook cover-drive four, while left-hander Pant nicked Josh Tongue through a vacant second slip position and, on the next ball, thrashed him through the covers. Another edge through the cordon took Pant to 49 before he completed an 83-ball fifty. 

Rahul completed a 202-ball century featuring 13 fours with a trademark cover-drive, his ninth century in 59 Tests.

Pant, severely injured in a life-threatening car crash in December 2022, was stuck in the 90s before reaching three figures with a quick single. India are strongly placed in the game but will be aware of their inability to make the most of their position in the first innings. 

(With AFP inputs)

This article first appeared on Mid Day