NEW DELHI: Rishabh Pant’s love affair with England continues, and the dynamic wicketkeeper-batter once again showcased his class with the bat. On Day 2 of the opening Test at Headingley in Leeds, Pant brought up his seventh Test century — his fourth against England — reinforcing his status as one of India’s finest modern-day red-ball batters. Pant reached the triple figure mark in 146 balls. This latest ton was also Pant’s third Test century on English soil, following his 114 at The Oval in 2018 and 146 at Edgbaston in 2022.
His other century against England came in Ahmedabad in 2021, where he scored 101.Interestingly, Pant’s latest hundred in Leeds was the slowest Test century of his career, bringing up the milestone off 146 balls — a rare display of restraint from the typically explosive left-hander.Pant has also surpassed MS Dhoni to become the Indian wicketkeeper with the most Test centuries. Pant now has 7 Test hundreds as a designated wicketkeeper, eclipsing Dhoni’s tally of 6. Wriddhiman Saha follows with 3 centuries.
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PANT’S CENTURIES vs ENGLAND:
| Year | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate | Venue | Innings | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 114 | 146 | 15 | 4 | 78.08 | The Oval | 4th | Caught |
| 2021 | 101 | 118 | 13 | 2 | 85.59 | Ahmedabad | 2nd | Caught |
| 2022 | 146 | 111 | 19 | 4 | 131.53 | Birmingham | 1st | Caught |
| 2025 | 100* | 146 | 8 | 2 | 64.70 | Leeds | 1st | Not Out |
Most Test Centuries by Designated Wicketkeepers (India):
| Player | Test Centuries |
|---|---|
| Rishabh Pant | 7 |
| MS Dhoni | 6 |
| Wriddhiman Saha | 3 |
PANT’S CENTURIES (BY BALLS TAKEN):
| Opponent | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 100 | 137 | 8 | 0 | 72.99 | Sydney | 2019 |
| England | 100 | 89 | 15 | 1 | 112.36 | Birmingham | 2022 |
| England | 100 | 117 | 14 | 3 | 85.47 | The Oval | 2018 |
| Bangladesh | 100 | 124 | 11 | 4 | 80.64 | Chennai | 2024 |
| England | 100 | 115 | 13 | 2 | 86.95 | Ahmedabad | 2021 |
| South Africa | 100 | 133 | 6 | 4 | 75.18 | Cape Town | 2022 |
| England | 100 | 146 | 10 | 4 | 71.92 | Leeds | 2025 |
