Rishabh Pant Centuries: Historic Twin Hundreds at Headingley

Rishabh Pant Centuries : Historic Twin Centuries at Headingley

In a truly remarkable display of batting prowess, Rishabh Pant has etched his name in the annals of Test cricket history, scoring twin centuries – 134 and 118 – in the first Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Headingley, Leeds. This monumental achievement makes him only the second ever designated wicket-keeper to achieve the feat of scoring hundreds in each innings of a Test match. His performance has not only captivated fans but also rewritten several significant batting records for both himself and the Indian team. Rishabh Pant Centuries

Joining an Elite Club: Pant’s Record-Breaking Feat

Rishabh Pant Centuries: This incredible double-century performance puts Pant in an elite club, joining the legendary Andy Flower, who previously achieved this rare feat against South Africa in Harare in 2001, with scores of 142 and 199*. Pant’s twin tons also mark him as the seventh Indian batter to score centuries in each innings of a Test, and notably, he is the first and only Asian to achieve this distinction on English soil. Rishabh Pant Centuries

Hundreds in each innings of a Test for India

Batting Records Tumble: Pant’s Dominance in England

Pant’s aggregate of 252 runs in this Test (134 & 118) now stands as the fourth-most by a designated wicketkeeper in a Test match. All three higher tallies belong to Andy Flower, highlighting the rarity and significance of Pant’s achievement. Furthermore, his four centuries in England are the most by a designated wicketkeeper in Tests in an away country, surpassing the three each by Les Ames (England in West Indies) and Andy Flower (Zimbabwe in India). He now shares the record for the joint-most hundreds by a designated wicketkeeper in England, equaling Alec Stewart and Matt Prior. Rishabh Pant Centuries

Six-Hitting Prowess and Consistent Form

Pant’s aggressive style of play was also evident in his six-hitting prowess, smashing nine sixes in this Test (six in the first innings and three in the second). This equals the joint-most by a batter in a Test in England, a record previously held by Andrew Flintoff (vs Aus, Edgbaston, 2005) and Ben Stokes (vs Aus, Lord’s, 2023). Notably, his seven maximums off Shoaib Bashir rank as the third joint-most by a batter against a single bowler in a Test where ball-by-ball details are available. Rishabh Pant Centuries

Team India’s Collective Milestones and Challenges

His consistency in England has been exceptional, with five fifty-plus scores in his last five Test innings in the country (50, 146, 57, 134, and 118). He is only the seventh visiting batter to achieve this feat in England, a list topped by Steven Smith’s sequence of seven. Rishabh Pant Centuries

The collective batting effort from India also reached a new high, with five individual centuries scored in this Test – the most for them in a single Test match. This is only the sixth time overall any side has achieved this, and India became only the second side to do so in an away Test after Australia against West Indies in Kingston in 1955. Among these centuries, KL Rahul’s three centuries are the most by an Asian opening batter in Tests in England, surpassing the previous record of two hundreds each by Vijay Merchant, Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri, Rahul Dravid, and Tamim Iqbal. A remarkable eight of Rahul’s nine Test centuries have come away from home, underscoring his strong away record. Rishabh Pant Centuries

While the top order fired, there was a significant disparity in contributions. The difference of 656 runs between India’s top five and their bottom six batters in this Test highlights a heavy reliance on the top order. The top five scored a combined 721 runs, while the bottom six could only muster 65. The aggregate of nine runs by India’s No.8 to No.11 across both innings combined is also the second lowest for India in a Test where they were bowled out twice, a statistic that the team will look to address.

Fielding Excellence: Joe Root Equals Dravid’s Record

In other notable records, Joe Root’s 210 catches in Test cricket see him equal Rahul Dravid for the most catches by an outfielder in Test history, a testament to his exceptional fielding prowess.

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