Former India coach Ravi Shastri praised Rishabh Pant for his fantastic performance during the second day of the Leeds Test against England. Playing in the No. 5 slot, Pant scored a commanding 134 runs off 178 balls, including 12 fours and six sixes.
Shastri, speaking in a video shared by the BCCI, said, "Pant has always been unique. From the moment I first saw him, I knew he was different. He follows his instincts and plays the game in his own style. Since moving to No. 5, he’s been very consistent."
Aggression from the Start
Shastri also highlighted how Pant made his intentions clear from the beginning. On just his second ball, he smashed a straight boundary off England captain Ben Stokes, showing no hesitation. "Even when the team is under pressure, he doesn’t hold back. If he comes in with a good platform like today, he can really damage the opposition. That second-ball boundary was a message—he’s not here to play safe; he’s here to attack," said Shastri.
Record-Breaking Runs by Pant
Pant’s partnership with Shubman Gill was also key. The two put together 209 runs for the fourth wicket, giving India a strong position in the match. Shastri added, "It’s great to see Pant back in form after that accident. Scoring a hundred in the opening Test of the series, as vice-captain and in partnership with the captain, is very special."
Pant also broke several records. He surpassed Rohit Sharma to become India’s top six-hitter in the ICC World Test Championship and went past MS Dhoni for the most Test centuries by an Indian wicketkeeper. Now with seven Test centuries, including five in SENA countries, Pant has also matched Kumar Sangakkara’s record for most centuries by an Asian keeper in Test cricket.
