Rishabh Pant delivered one of his finest overseas performances at Headingley, scoring centuries in both innings and showing exactly why he is regarded as India’s most fearless Test batter abroad. His knocks of 134 and 118 were a masterclass in counter-attacking batting under pressure. Yet once again, his heroics were not enough to prevent a loss. This is not new territory for Pant. Over the years, he has made it a habit to step up when the team has its back against the wall, especially in tough SENA conditions. From his memorable century at The Oval to fighting tons in Sydney and Cape Town, Pant has been India’s crisis man away from home. But turning these moments into match wins remains a challenge when the support cast does not always rise to the occasion.Pant’s Test Centuries in SENA:114 at The Oval (Lost) 159* at Sydney (Drawn) 100* at Capetown (Lost) 146 at Birmingham (Lost) 134 at Leeds (Lost)* 118 at Leeds (Lost)* At Headingley, Pant and KL Rahul stitched together a crucial stand of 195 in the second innings to help India set England a daunting target of 371. The match seemed in India’s control on a tricky fifth-day pitch. But England’s top order batted with remarkable composure and discipline, led by Ben Duckett’s superb 149 and Joe Root’s calm fifty.
100s in both Innings ending in Losing Cause (Indians): 116, 145 – Vijay Hazare at Adelaide (1948) 111, 137 – Sunil Gavaskar at Karachi (1978) 115, 141 – Virat Kohli at Adelaide (2014) 134, 118 – Rishabh Pant at Leeds (2025)*Quiz: Who’s that IPL player? For Pant, this twin-century feat places him among a handful of Indians to have scored hundreds in both innings of a Test and still ended on the losing side. Fans will hope this trend ends soon. His aggressive approach and unflinching spirit are exactly what India need, but they must now build a team effort around him to convert individual brilliance into consistent victories abroad.
