India vs England, 1st Test: LSG Owner Sanjiv Goenka Applauds Centurions Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul for Stellar Second Innings

Rishabh Pant Silences Critics with Twin Tons as Goenka Applauds Test Heroics

Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant may have endured a rough IPL 2025 season, but he reaffirmed his reputation as a red-ball maestro with a historic performance in the Headingley Test against England. The 27-year-old became only the second wicketkeeper in Test history—after Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower—to score centuries in both innings of a match.

In the second innings, Rishabh Pant shifted gears after a cautious start and smashed a blistering 118 off 140 balls, decorated with 15 fours and 3 sixes. His onslaught came against a quality English attack featuring Brydon Carse, Ben Stokes, Josh Tongue, and Shoaib Bashir. He reached his hundred with a single off Bashir, who eventually dismissed him in the deep. Earlier, Pant had hammered 134 runs in the first innings.

Despite repeated cheers from Sunil Gavaskar, Pant chose not to reprise his somersault celebration after reaching his second ton.

Reacting to the performance, Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka congratulated Pant on X (formerly Twitter), calling him “aggressive, audacious, brilliant,” and celebrating his back-to-back hundreds. He also lauded KL Rahul’s ninth Test century—an innings of 137 off 247 balls that anchored India’s second-innings total.

KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant stitched together a 195-run partnership for the fourth wicket, a stand that helped India post a daunting target of 371 for England. Goenka, who had a controversial public moment with KL Rahul during IPL 2025 before the batter was released from LSG, acknowledged his crucial contribution with a congratulatory message: “Congratulations also to @klrahul for his hundred. #INDvsENG.”

Two good! Back-to-back centuries for @RishabhPant17. Aggressive, audacious, brilliant. Only the second wicketkeeper in history to score a century in both innings of a Test. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Congratulations also to @klrahul for his hundred. #INDvsENG pic.twitter.com/WhU12EYVhE
— Dr. Sanjiv Goenka (@DrSanjivGoenka) June 23, 2025

A thrilling Day 5 awaits in the Headingley Test

The Headingley Test between England and India is finely poised, with the hosts requiring 350 more runs to win. At stumps on Day 4, England were 21/0, with openers Zak Crawley (12*) and Ben Duckett (9*) seeing off a tense final session.

Earlier in the day, India collapsed dramatically, losing their last six wickets for just 31 runs after being comfortably placed at 333/4. Despite the late-order stumble, centuries from KL Rahul (137) and Rishabh Pant (118) powered India to 364 in their second innings, setting England a daunting 371-run target.

England’s Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue were impressive with the ball, picking up three wickets apiece to engineer the collapse.

In the first innings, India had managed to take a narrow lead of six runs, thanks largely to Jasprit Bumrah’s five-wicket haul that helped dismiss England for 465. With all to play for on the final day, both sides will be eyeing a decisive push in what promises to be a thrilling finish.