Team India wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant scripted history with his second-innings ton during the first Test against England at Headingley, Leeds. The left-handed batter scored 118 off 140 deliveries, and was involved in a crucial fourth-wicket partnership with KL Rahul on Day 4 of the thrilling contest.
He struggled initially at the crease, but after a word of caution from KL Rahul and a pep talk later, he grew into the contest. After settling down in the first session, he imploded after the Lunch Break as India got a move on to expand their precious lead.
The wicket-keeper was looking in sublime touch, but his innings came to an end as he holed out to the deep off Shoaib Bashir's bowling, triggering yet another Indian collapse.
On that note, let us take a look at five expert reactions to Rishabh Pant's 2nd innings hundred in ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test.
The former India batter shone a light on the southpaw's defensive ability, highlighting how he absorbed pressure after his initial outrageous shots did not pay off. He compared the wicket-keeper to veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara, who was renowned for his ability to defend for long hours at No.3.
The former India wicket-keeper remarked that Rishabh Pant is slowly making his way among the greatest glovesmen who have ever played the sport. He opined that the flamboyant Indian player is on the path to greatness, just like Australia's Adam Gilchrist was.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri, during whose reign Rishabh Pant made his debut, defended the aggressive approach. He asserted that the flamboyant strokes are far from just a rush of blood, when in fact, those are highly calculative moves to put the opponent under pressure.
The former India opening batter termed that fans and pundits cannot comprehend Rishabh Pant's style of play, but he feels that it is irrelevant as long as he is producing results.
The wicket-keeper has been in sublime form since his return to the Test team after injury. He marked his return with a sublime hundred against Bangladesh in Chennai, and cemented his spot as the first-choice wicket-keeper back in an instant.
The former England captain tried to make sense of Rishabh Pant's approach, and branded him as unpredictable due to his ability to switch gears in an instant. He also credited the player for making life difficult for the opposition captain, as they are unsure as to how to plan against him.
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Who said what top 5 expert reactions to Rishabh Pants 2nd innings hundred in ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test ft Sanjay Manjrekar
