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Key Points

In a thrilling display of skill and adaptability, Rishabh Pant scored centuries in both innings of the first Test at Headingley, making history as the first Indian wicket-keeper to achieve this in England. Sunil Gavaskar humorously urged Pant to celebrate with his signature somersault, adding a light-hearted touch to the historic moment. Pant's performance drew praise from former cricketer Deep Dasgupta for his ability to switch between aggressive and defensive strategies seamlessly. The match not only highlighted Pant's talent but also the camaraderie and chemistry between him and Gavaskar, further entertaining cricket fans worldwide.

Key Points: Gavaskar Urges Pant's Somersault After Historic Dual Centuries

  • Rishabh Pant scores centuries in both Test innings at Headingley
  • Gavaskar suggests iconic somersault celebration for Pant's achievement
  • Pant's adaptable playstyle praised by Deep Dasgupta
  • India gains momentum with Pant's aggressive yet controlled performance
3 min read

1st Test: Gavaskar urges Pant to celebrate with somersault after historic ton

Sunil Gavaskar encourages Rishabh Pant to celebrate with a somersault after his historic twin centuries at Headingley.

"Pant's dismissal as 'Stupid. Stupid. Stupid' before labelling his first innings hundred as 'Superb. Superb. Superb.' - Sunil Gavaskar"

Leeds, June 23

Sunil Gavaskar and Rishabh Pant continued to serve up viral social media moments during Day 4 of the first Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Headingley on Monday. The left-handed batter followed his brilliant 134 in the first inning with a 118 in the second, becoming the first wicket-keeper batter to score a century in both innings.

He is also the only Indian to score centuries in both innings of a Test in England.

Pant's iconic somersault celebration has garnered a lot of views and eyeballs in recent days, especially after his first innings ton. However, the vice-captain did not pull out the same celebration after reaching his eighth Test ton. Cameras panned towards Gavaskar in the stand, gesturing towards Pant to do the somersault flip when he raised his century.

It further added to the special chemistry between the duo. During the 2024-25 Border Gavaskar Trophy, Gavaskar had remarked 'Pant's dismissal as 'Stupid. Stupid. Stupid' before labelling his first innings hundred against England at Headingley as 'Superb. Superb. Superb.'

Pant made his way to the crease after India skipper Shubman Gill was dismissed in the opening over of the day by Brydon Carse. The 27-year-old started his innings in the usual aggressive and unorthodox fashion, but understood and respected the conditions.

After scoring 31 off 59 deliveries before lunch, he took the attack to English bowlers, especially Shoaib Bashir, and raised his century in 130 balls.

After reaching his century milestone, Pant was dismissed to ramp up India's score to 118, off Joe Root.

Former India player Deep Dasgupta applauded Pant's ability to bat like one of India's most resilient batters, Cheteshwar Pujara, and then shift gears when he wants to ramp up the Indian innings.

"The first phase of Pant's innings was entertaining -- he was trying to use the strong wind in his favour, playing those big shots. But he wasn't quite convincing in the way he did it. Then he decided to switch gears completely. And, this is the beauty of Pant -- his cricketing mind is sharp. He abandoned the aggressive shots, went all-out defense, and did not play a single aerial shot after that.

"It reminded me of how versatile he is. This is the same guy who, early in his Test career, once got a 29-ball duck. He can bat like Pujara for an hour or two. We've seen him play at a strike rate of 30 for over an hour during hundreds that he has scored. It was fascinating to see the contrast -- two very different versions of Rishabh Pant in one session," said Deep on Jio Hotstar's 'Match Centre Live.'

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Rahul K.
What an innings by Pant! 🇮🇳 His ability to switch between Pujara-style defense and explosive batting is what makes him special. Gavaskar sir's reaction was priceless - that's the kind of mentorship young players need. Hope to see the somersault in the next match! #Pantastic
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Priya M.
While Pant's batting was brilliant, I wish commentators wouldn't focus so much on celebrations. His restraint in the second innings shows maturity - sometimes letting the bat do the talking is celebration enough. Still, can't deny the entertainment value of his somersaults! 😄
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Arjun S.
Pant is proving why he's India's most valuable Test player currently. To score twin centuries in England - that too as a wicketkeeper - is no small feat. The way he adapted to conditions after lunch was masterclass. Hope he maintains this form for the WTC cycle!
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Sneha R.
The Gavaskar-Pant dynamic is so wholesome! From "stupid stupid stupid" to "superb superb superb" - shows how much Sunny G cares. Pant's growth since that Australia series has been phenomenal. He's now playing with both flair and responsibility. More power to him! 🙌
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Vikram J.
As much as I enjoy Pant's batting, I hope the team management ensures he doesn't burn out. Keeping wickets for 100+ overs and then batting like this is physically demanding. Maybe we should consider a specialist keeper for some matches to preserve our star player.
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Neha P.
That session where Pant switched gears was pure cricket intelligence! From 31 off 59 to century in next 71 balls - that's proper Test match batting. Makes you wonder if he's the most complete batsman in our team across all formats. What a comeback story after his accident! ❤️

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