Rishabh Pant: India's Unorthodox Hero

Rishabh Pant Headingley (Image Source: Google)

Rishabh Pant's swashbuckling style may not be the textbook technique of great Indian batsman of old, but the diminutive wicketkeeper wrote his name into the history books at Headingley on Monday.

The 27-year-old became the first Indian to score hundreds in both innings of a Test against England to give his side the edge heading into a fascinating final day of the first of a five-match series.

His fourth Test century in England also saw Pant become only the second wicketkeeper in 148 years of Test history, after Zimbabwe's Andy Flower, to score twin centuries in the same match.

Having already made 134 in India's first-innings 471, he came out to bat with the game delicately poised in the tourists' second innings at 92-3.

True to form, though, Pant went about turning the screw in his own style.

He almost knocked himself off his feet when hacking his second ball narrowly over the slip cordon before advancing up the pitch to slap Chris Woakes down the ground.

But those shots were as nothing compared to a kneeling slog-sweep off an 87 mile-per-hour (140 kmh) delivery from England fast bowler Brydon Carse.

Shoaib Bashir was then dispatched for two sixes in three balls, even if Pant put the breaks on for spells of the early part of his innings.

All the while KL Rahul looked on from the other end, the opener's more traditional 137 a counterpoint to vice-captain Pant's whirlwind 118 during a fourth-wicket stand of 195.

Rahul -- who took 202 balls for his century, 72 more than Pant needed to reach three figures -- said after stumps: "I've had a few partnerships with Pant. It's hard for us to understand his mindset.

"You've got to let Rishabh Pant be Rishabh Pant, there's obviously a method to his madness! He's averaging (around) 45 in Test cricket, there's a lot of thinking behind the outrageous shots he plays."

-- $3 million man --

Born in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, Pant's mother would regularly make the four-hour drive so her young son could receive cricket training in the major centre of Delhi, with the pair often staying in a Sikh temple as they could not afford the cost of accommodation.

Pant came under the influence of the late Tarak Sinha, a coach who had already launched the likes of Manoj Prabhakar and Shikhar Dhawan on their way to careers as India cricketers.

A year after making his debut in India's first-class Ranji Trophy debut aged 18 in 2015, Pant scored a triple-hundred against Maharashtra.

He was on his way, with Pant's first Test century coming in just his third match, on the 2018 tour of England.

The following year his stunning 159 off 189 balls in a total of 622 in Sydney sealed India's first series win in Australia against an attack used to dominating in home conditions.

And in Brisbane in 2021, an unbeaten 89 guided an injury-hit India to their second series win in Australia in two visits as he defied bowlers of the calibre of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon.

However, Pant's promising career and life were nearly cut short in a horror car crash in December 2022 when he had to punch his way out of the overturned vehicle as it burst into flames.

After 15 months on the sidelines, many wondered if he would return to the professional game.

But his comeback was so successful that Lucknow Super Giants made him the record signing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) when they splashed out $3.21 million for his services at last year's November auction.

He arrived in England with questions over his form after striking hust 128 runs in 10 IPL innings this IPL season.

But Pant showed his class is permanent by putting England to the sword in some style.