Birmingham, July 1: Explosive India wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant on Friday (July 1) played yet another game-changing knock as he notched up his fifth Test century on day one of the rescheduled fifth Test against England here in Edgbaston.
The left-handed batsman from Delhi walked into the middle at a tricky phase when the scoreboard read 71-4 and soon after Indians found themselves reeling under pressure when Virat Kohli was dismissed for 11. Half the side was back in the dressing room with 98 runs on the board and the visitors were staring at another big collapse.
But along with Jadeja, the fellow southpaw not just steered his side through troubled waters but also helped the tourists end the day's play on a dominant note with his mammoth 222-run stand with Ravindra Jadeja for the sixth wicket. It was Pant's sensational knock of 146 off just 111 deliveries that ensured the visitors ended the day's play at 338 for 7.
Pant - who has been a different batter in the red-ball format ever since making his Test debut in 2018 - once again showed why he's rated so highly by the experts as he notched up his career's second Test hundred in England and fourth in SENA countries. En route to his century, Pant - who has been the leading run-scorer for Team India in Tests in 2022 - shattered several records and once again proved how special a batter he is when he's in his elements.
Pant was menacing particularly against England leg-spinner Jack Leach and cleared his intentions the moment hosts captain Ben Stokes brought him into the attack. Having completed his fifty, Pant started shifting his gears and took no time to complete yet another sublime century. By the time he completed his ton, there was no stopping Pant as the youngster unleashed his beast mode.
In one of the overs bowled by the left-arm spinner, Pant went for his trademark one-handed six off Leach over midwicket putting everyone in awe. The maximum covered a distance of 101 meters as the commentators and experts once again started talking about the sheer audacity with which Pant plays his aggressive brand of cricket.
Rishabh Pant hits a 101m one handed six. Are you kidding me? 🥰
— Virat is Universal GOAT 🐐 (@ViratGoatFan) July 1, 2022
Pant has gone crazy playing t20 in a test match.#RishabhPant #INDvsENG pic.twitter.com/udnhqHM4sM
A 101m Six is fine but a One handed 101m Six is insane! #RishabhPant pic.twitter.com/kKQz5HtCna
— ImUtopian (@ImUtopian1990) July 1, 2022
Rishabh Pant hits a spinner with one hand for 101 m six.
— Ayush Raj (@humhainayush) July 1, 2022
Can you imagine Issac Newton's face if he would have seen this.#RishabhPant
101m SIX. Morden day's God of One handed shot. #RishabhPant #LondonDada #ENGvsIND
— Cricket Anand 🏏 (@cricanandha) July 1, 2022
Soon after he completed his century off just 89 deliveries, the entire Indian dressing room, including head coach Rahul Dravid jumped into celebration. Dravid - who has been calmness personified all through his cricketing days - looked overjoyed with Pant's performance and TV cameras caught him raising his hands before applauding the youngster for putting on a display of cricket of the highest order.
On a lighter note. The last time Rahul Dravid screamed like this from the dressing room, I was batting in the middle 😀 #CricketTwitter #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/xUOxe9uzTe
— ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ | Dodda Ganesh (@doddaganesha) July 1, 2022
The moment where it all came together for #RP17 💙
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) July 1, 2022
P.S 👉 You're a special guy if you can get Rahul Dravid to react that way 😉#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/OBiUVllVYN
Celebration by Dravid when Pant completed the hundred. pic.twitter.com/VYCGkeOAab
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 1, 2022
You gotta be Rishabh Pant to make Rahul Dravid celebrate like that, what a knock!pic.twitter.com/buhmslVry6
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 1, 2022
That Dravid reaction. ♥️ Pant is making a habit of this now. Special guy, really. #ENGvsIND
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) July 1, 2022