Rishabh Pant has etched his name into the history books by hitting back-to-back centuries in the first Test match between India and England in Leeds. Pant, who had hit 134 in the first innings, carried on his Midas touch as he slammed yet another ton in the second essay, scoring a masterful 118 before being caught out.
Pant's innings was marked with great patience in the first session, followed by his self-destructive mode in the second on Day 4 of the opening Test. With his second century of the match, Pant has achieved what no wicketkeeper could have done before.
Pant becomes first wicketkeeper to achieve historic double feat
Pant has become the first-ever wicketkeeper to score centuries in both innings of a Test match away from home. There are a few players who have hit a century and a fifty in two innings of a Test match away from home, but no one has hit two tons.
Notably, he is the second wicketkeeper to hit two tons in the same Test, with Andy Flower being the only one. However, Flower had hit the two tons in a single Test at home against South Africa in Harare and not away from home, which Pant has done. This means Pant is the only wicketkeeper to hit two tons in a single Test away from home.
Pant breaks Kumar Sangakkara's record
Meanwhile, Pant also shattered former Sri Lanka opener Kumar Sangakkara's record for the highest match aggregate by an Asian wicketkeeper in a Test match. Pant had hit 134 in the first innings and 118 in the second to aggregate 252 in the match. Meanwhile, Sangakkara held the record earlier when he had slammed 244 in the match (230 and 14) in a Test against Pakistan in Lahore.
Pant has also become only the seventh Indian player overall to hit a century in both innings of a Test match. Before him, Sunil Gavaskar (three times), Rahul Dravid (two times), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Vijay Hazare, Ajinkya Rahane, and Rohit Sharma (all one time) have hit tons in both innings of a Test match.
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