Pant’s Twin Tons Light Up Headingley as England Set Up Thrilling Chase in Series Opener
India’s Rishabh Pant delivered a standout performance with centuries in both innings of the first Test against England at Headingley, but a late collapse saw the visitors surrender momentum, leaving the match poised for a dramatic final-day finish. England, chasing a challenging target of 371, ended day four at 21 without loss and will need 350 more runs on the final day to go 1-0 up in the five-match series.
Pant, who scored 134 in the first innings, followed up with a masterful 118 off 130 balls in the second innings, becoming the first Indian batter — and only the second wicketkeeper in Test history — to score centuries in both innings of a Test against England. His innings, which included 13 fours and two sixes, was central to India’s fightback. He shared a 195-run fourth-wicket stand with KL Rahul, who made a composed 137, after India had slipped to 92 for 3.
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However, just as India looked set to bat England out of the match at 333 for 4, the innings unraveled. The last six wickets fell for only 31 runs, and the team was bowled out for 364. Fast bowler Josh Tongue triggered the collapse with a fiery spell, claiming three wickets in four balls, including Thakur and Siraj off successive deliveries. He ended with 3 for 72 in 18 overs. Shoaib Bashir took the final wicket as India squandered a dominant position.
Earlier in the day, Pant and Rahul had taken control after the fall of skipper Shubman Gill, who was the only batter dismissed in the morning session. Rahul, playing in his typically measured style, reached his ninth Test century off 202 deliveries, decorated with 13 boundaries. Pant brought his half-century up in 83 balls and accelerated afterward, lifting Bashir for two sixes in three balls before reaching his milestone with a hard-run single.
England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett safely negotiated six overs before stumps, offering the hosts hope of a successful chase. England’s confidence will be bolstered by memories of their 378-run chase against India at Edgbaston in 2022 — their highest successful fourth-innings pursuit — against a similarly formidable Indian bowling attack led by Jasprit Bumrah.
India, despite strong batting efforts in both innings, were again undone by their lower order collapses. In the first innings, despite hundreds from Shubman Gill, Pant, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, they lost their final seven wickets for just 41 runs to be bowled out for 471. Bumrah, the world’s top-ranked Test bowler, was the standout in England’s first innings with a five-wicket haul as the hosts replied with 465.
Now, with the match finely balanced, both sides eye a decisive final day. India will rely heavily on Bumrah’s pace and experience, while England hope their aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach under Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum can deliver yet another memorable fourth-innings chase. “It’s a blockbuster finish waiting tomorrow,” said KL Rahul. “Even if they get a partnership, a couple of wickets and we’re right in it.”
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