IND vs ENG: 'Straight ball hai, theke?'; Rishabh Pant's self-check moment and twin tons light up Headingley
India's Rishabh Pant (AP Photo/Scott Heppell)
India vice-captain
Rishabh Pant
yet again proved why he is one of the most entertaining characters in world cricket, both with his audacious shots and with the conversations he has with himself in the middle.
On Day 4 of the first Test against England at Headingley, Pant added another gem to his growing collection of iconic knocks overseas. After scoring a masterful 134 in the first innings, he stitched a momentum-shifting 195-run partnership with KL Rahul in the second innings and brought up his second century of the match, becoming the first Indian to score twin tons in a Test in England.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
SUBSCRIBE NOW!
While Pant's flamboyance is well-known, what caught the stump mic and the cameras was his candid reminder to himself during one of his adventurous attempts against Shoaib Bashir. Eyeing another innovative stroke, Pant muttered,
'Straight ball hai, Rishabh aise yeh jaroori nahi hai theke? Marna hai to seedha lag jayega na iss ball pe zabardasti with the wind try kare jaa raha hai.'
This self-advice came as he was trying to reverse scoop a delivery that did not warrant such a shot.
Moments later, Pant calmed himself down and returned to a more traditional approach, eventually steering India towards a massive lead.
KL Rahul press conference: On his role, being elder brother in team, role clarity and match
Pant's 118 off 140 balls in the second innings secured his place in an elite club. He became only the second designated wicketkeeper after Andy Flower to notch hundreds in both innings of a Test. He also matched the record for the most sixes in a Test innings in England, hitting nine maximums, a feat previously achieved by Andrew Flintoff and
Ben Stokes
.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya
IC Markets
Mendaftar
Undo
Quiz:
Who's that IPL player?
His innings pushed his tally in England to 808 runs from 10 Tests at an impressive average above 42. His match total of 252 runs is now the highest for a wicketkeeper in a Test in England, surpassing Alec Stewart's 204 against South Africa in 1998.
After reaching his milestone, batting legend
Sunil Gavaskar
asked Pant to celebrate with a somersault. Pant, however, gave his trademark grin and saved the flip for another day. He instead continued his charge, smacking
Joe Root
for a mix of unconventional sweeps and classical lofted drives before falling for 118, caught by Zak Crawley.
While India's lower order folded quickly, Pant and Rahul's fireworks gave India a massive cushion, leaving England to chase 371 on a wearing Headingley surface.
Fans will remember this innings not just for the runs but also for Pant's honest, almost comic self-talk that reflects the genius and unpredictability that define him.
For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the
India vs England Test match here
.
Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
17 minutes ago
- India Today
You let Rishabh Pant be Rishabh Pant: KL Rahul on India's mercurial match-winner
India batter KL Rahul believes there's no point trying to decode Rishabh Pant's unpredictable batting - instead, the best approach is to simply let him be. "It is hard for us to understand his mindset but you let Rishabh Pant be Rishabh Pant," Rahul said after sharing a match-defining partnership with the wicketkeeper on Day 4 of the first Test at thrilling strokeplay not only lit up the fourth day but also earned him a place in the record books. The 27-year-old became the first Indian wicketkeeper to score hundreds in both innings of a Test against England, and just the second wicketkeeper in Test history - after Zimbabwe's Andy Flower - to achieve the feat."There is obviously a method to his madness as he is averaging 45 in Test cricket," Rahul said. "There is a lot of thinking about the outrageous shots he plays. You just try to calm him down as much as possible between balls." Pant's second-innings century came with its fair share of drama. Shortly after the early loss of captain Shubman Gill on Monday morning, Pant attempted a reckless hoick that nearly resulted in his dismissal. Luckily for India, a gust of Headingley breeze helped the ball elude the fielder and drift towards the fine-leg vs IND 1st Test Day 4 HighlightsWhat followed was vintage Pant - a whirlwind of intent, instinct, and audacity. At one point, the stump mic even caught him knocking himself on the helmet after playing a rash shot, a rare glimpse into his internal battle between impulse and who struck a composed century of his own, combined with Pant to stitch together a 195-run fourth-wicket stand - one that shifted the momentum decisively in India's favour. Their efforts allowed India to post a formidable second-innings total and set England a target of 371 on a pitch showing signs of variable fourth Test century in England now puts him level with the most by any wicketkeeper in the country - including English players. As Rahul rightly pointed out, there's a unique logic behind Pant's madness, one that defies convention but delivers a team full of structure and plans, Pant remains the glorious exception. You don't try to fix Rishabh Pant. You let him be Rishabh Pant.- EndsYou May Also Like
News18
20 minutes ago
- News18
For Athiya Shetty, KL Rahul's Century Against England Is ‘Special'
Last Updated: During the second innings of the first test match against England, KL Rahul scored a superb century and Athiya Shetty made sure to cheer him on via a social media post. KL Rahul did it again! The cricketer, busy with the five-match series against England in London, impressed everyone with a brilliant performance at Headingley. During the second innings of the first test, he scored a superb century, ensuring India is in a strong position. After the match, Athiya Shetty made sure to cheer her husband on, expressing pride via a social media post. Along with a photo of KL Rahul, she wrote on Instagram stories, 'This one is special." Not just KL Rahul's wife but his father-in-law Suniel Shetty was also all praises for him. Lauding the cricketer's game, Suniel also dropped a post on Instagram stories, writing, 'A knock that spoke less, but said everything. Proud of you son." KL Rahul and Athiya Shetty tied the knot on January 23, 2023, and have been going strong ever since. The couple recently embraced parenthood, welcoming their baby girl, Evaarah, in March 2025. Announcing the super amazing news, they shared a joint post on Instagram. It read, 'Blessed with a Baby Girl. 24.03.2025. Athiya And Rahul." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Athiya Shetty (@athiyashetty) While KL Rahul continues to script history with his batting skills, Athiya decided to step away from the entertainment industry to take care of her little munchkin. In a chat with Pinkvilla earlier this year, Suniel Shetty confirmed that his daughter is not interested in acting anymore. The actor said, 'She said, 'Baba, I don't want to,' and she just left. And that's what I salute her for saying, 'I'm not interested. I don't want to do films.' After Motichoor Chaknachoor, a lot came her way. 'But I don't want to. I'm comfortable, you know?" The actor added, 'She's got the best role of her life. You know, she's working in the best film, and that is her life, the role of her mother and she's loving it." Athiya Shetty debuted in the film industry with Hero (2015), a remake of the 1983 classic. In the film, she was seen alongside Sooraj Pancholi. Her performance received mixed reviews, with a majority of the audience praising her for charming on-screen presence. Later, she was seen in Mubarakan (2017), a multi-starrer comedy-drama which also starred Arjun Kapoor, Ileana D'Cruz and Anil Kapoor. Athiya's last big screen appearance was in Motichoor Chaknachoor (2019) where she played a young woman eager to marry an NRI. First Published:
News18
21 minutes ago
- News18
Rishabh Pant Is Box Office Test Cricketer: Fans Turn Poets For India's Best Wicketkeeper-Batter
Last Updated: Rishabh Pant has been a complete entertainer in the Headingley Test against England. He will summersault. He will scoop and fall. He will stand tall. He's Rishabh Pant. That 27-year-old Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is a blockbuster cricketer is an understatement. While Pant's antics on the field make you notice him, his batting prowess makes you sit and admire that he once-in-a-generation talent. Taking on the bowlers like he's playing gully cricket, Pant notched up two sublime hundreds on English soil while taking on the hosts in the first Test at the Headingly. The twin tons put him in a league of his own, as he became the first Indian wicketkeeper to do so in a Test match and only second wicketkeeper after Andy Flower in cricket's history. Pant 134 and 118 in respective innings have given India a fighting chance to grab the first Test as England come out on the final day to chase the target of 371 set by the visitors. As the Test nears a fascinating conclusion, cricket fans from all over have gathered to praise Pant's school of cricket. There is no dull moment when he's out there batting with his dancing shoes on. Special Tests are slow and boring, they said. 'So, tell me about cricket…" 'Well, there is this lad called Rishabh Pant…" — Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) June 23, 2025 — ???? (@twitfrenzy_) June 23, 2025 He does this while playing. A delight for YouTube thumbnail creators. Rishabh Pant gave 4 Youtube Thumbnails in just 1 test session — Sagar (@sagarcasm) June 21, 2025 Stump Mic Gems Pant's reaction to Ravindra Jadeja delivering a wide ball. Pant told Jadeja: 'Mai bhi khel raha hu bhai, apne chauke ke chakkar mein mera chaukka mat dedena (I am also playing, brother. In trying to save a four, don't give my four)." When the Indian vice-captain backed out too late during Chris Woakes's delivery, he was apologetic. 'I was not ready," Pant explained. 'Sorry, Woakesy!" 'Sorry, Woakesy!" 😅Just Rishabh-Panti things — mischief, mind games & masti! 🎭🎙Pant's hilarious banter with Woakes is peak Test entertainment — and yes, it's all in good humour. 🫶ICYMI, watch this golden moment from Day 4 unfold! #ENGvIND 1st Test Day 4 LIVE NOW Streaming… — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) June 23, 2025 Or when he gave a pep talk to himself while batting. 'Why are you doing this? What was the need to do this?" Rishabh Pant to himself: (Stump Mic)'Tu aisa kyu kar raha hai, iski kya zarurat hai?" 🤦♂️— Noah (@PantasticNoah) June 23, 2025 Here are a few more stump mic gems. Rishabh Pant classic on the stumps mic. — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 21, 2025 Some Serious Stats Rishabh Pant gets to do all of that– falling, bickering, sending bat flying– because he's extremely competent as a batter. Pant now nears Rahul Dravid's record of 6 hundreds in England in 23 innings. The wicketkeeper-batter currently equals Sachin Tendulkar's 4. Pant has taken 19 innings to do so at an average of 42+. Root: 25Kane: 17Smith: 16Pant: 15 Next best from India are Kohli, Rohit and Gill with 9 each. 90+ scores in 5 different countries. Scoring at a rate of… — Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) June 24, 2025 The number five position to bat is also enabling Pant to go full throttle. He averages almost 60 in 19 Tests. top videos View all He's now behind only Australia's Adam Gilchrist and Zimbabwe's Andy Flower when it comes to hundreds in Tests. Gilchrist had 17 to his name, Flower smashed 12. Pant stands at 8. He has been dismissed seven times in his 90s in Tests. tags : Rishabh Pant Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 24, 2025, 10:56 IST News viral Rishabh Pant Is Box Office Test Cricketer: Fans Turn Poets For India's Best Wicketkeeper-Batter
