He will summersault. He will scoop and fall. He will stand tall. He鈥檚 Rishabh Pant. That 27-year-old Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is a blockbuster cricketer is an understatement. While Pant鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 school of cricket. There is no dull moment when he鈥檚 out there batting with his dancing shoes on.
Tests are slow and boring, they said.
鈥淪o, tell me about cricket鈥︹
鈥淲ell, there is this lad called Rishabh Pant鈥︹ pic.twitter.com/0OlILRPQTU
鈥 Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) June 23, 2025
Rishabh Pant ? pic.twitter.com/83nA45KquX
鈥 Dev (@refocus21) June 23, 2025
Just another day of thanking these guys for saving Rishabh Pant life.
Can’t even imagine watching this game without him 馃ス pic.twitter.com/GyjOKenSOw
鈥 ???? (@twitfrenzy_) June 23, 2025
He does this while playing.
Rishabh Pant was here. pic.twitter.com/YYOAGBX7oT
鈥 Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 21, 2025
A delight for YouTube thumbnail creators.
Rishabh Pant gave 4 Youtube Thumbnails in just 1 test session pic.twitter.com/WUrUabMtBR
鈥 Sagar (@sagarcasm) June 21, 2025
Stump Mic Gems
Pant鈥檚 reaction to Ravindra Jadeja delivering a wide ball.
Pant told Jadeja: 鈥淢ai 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鈥檛 give my four).鈥
.@RishabhPant17 + @ShubmanGill = Absolute cinema! 鉁
These two don鈥檛 play the game, they put on a show! ?#ENGvIND ? 1st TEST, Day 3 | SUN, 22nd JUNE, 2:30 PM Streaming On JioHotstar! pic.twitter.com/ZQHkO5QGjv
鈥 Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) June 21, 2025
When the Indian vice-captain backed out too late during Chris Woakes鈥檚 delivery, he was apologetic.
鈥淚 was not ready,鈥 Pant explained. 鈥淪orry, Woakesy!鈥
鈥淪orry, Woakesy!鈥 ?Just Rishabh-Panti things 鈥 mischief, mind games & masti! ??Pant鈥檚 hilarious banter with Woakes is peak Test entertainment 鈥 and yes, it’s all in good humour. 馃ICYMI, watch this golden moment from Day 4 unfold!#ENGvIND 1st Test Day 4 LIVE NOW Streaming鈥 pic.twitter.com/Id3pUayxUY
鈥 Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) June 23, 2025
Or when he gave a pep talk to himself while batting.
鈥淲hy are you doing this? What was the need to do this?鈥
Rishabh Pant to himself: (Stump Mic)鈥淭u aisa kyu kar raha hai, iski kya zarurat hai?鈥 馃う鈥嶁檪锔
鈥 Noah (@PantasticNoah) June 23, 2025
Here are a few more stump mic gems.
Rishabh Pant classic on the stumps mic. pic.twitter.com/fi6uHNHTWA
鈥 Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 21, 2025
Some Serious Stats
Rishabh Pant gets to do all of that鈥 falling, bickering, sending bat flying鈥 because he鈥檚 extremely competent as a batter.
Pant now nears Rahul Dravid鈥檚 record of 6 hundreds in England in 23 innings. The wicketkeeper-batter currently equals Sachin Tendulkar鈥檚 4. Pant has taken 19 innings to do so at an average of 42+.
If you’re prepared to shelve the hype around “hundreds”, then here’s a stat:
Most 90+ scores in Tests since Pant’s debut:
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鈥 https://t.co/1W4SnLcIZS
鈥 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.
He鈥檚 now behind only Australia鈥檚 Adam Gilchrist and Zimbabwe鈥檚 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.