Rishabh’s Stunning Knock Now Creates A New Test Record
Rishabh Pant’s Twin Ton Triumph Rewrites the Test Record Books
By WFY Sports Bureau
It was a moment of cricketing brilliance — the kind of rare sporting phenomenon that becomes etched in the memory of a generation. At Headingley, Leeds, Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant delivered an extraordinary performance that not only led his team’s charge but also etched his name into cricket’s revered annals. Pant, with his fearless approach and elegant stroke play, scored centuries in both innings of a Test match on English soil — a feat that elevates him to an elite echelon of players in the 145-year history of red-ball cricket in England.
This historic milestone occurred during the first Test of India’s tour of England in June 2025, where Pant scored 134 runs in the first innings and 118 in the second. It wasn’t just the weight of runs that stunned fans and critics alike, but the style and circumstances in which they were scored — under pressure, against a potent English bowling attack, and in foreign conditions. As a wicketkeeper-batter, Pant’s achievement becomes doubly rare and commands attention not only from statisticians but also from those tracking the evolution of the modern Test cricketer.
A Rare and Historic Double
To appreciate the magnitude of Pant’s achievement, one must consider the rarity of such twin hundreds by wicketkeepers in Test cricket. Only one player before him — Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower — had achieved this feat, scoring 143 and 199 against South Africa at Harare in 2001. Pant’s accomplishment makes him the first Indian wicketkeeper to reach such heights and the only wicketkeeper in history to perform this feat twice in England — having earlier scored 146 and 75 at Edgbaston in 2022.
In fact, no other wicketkeeper, not even an English one, has managed to register a century and a half-century in the same match on English soil twice. Pant has now done it in two separate series. He stands alone atop this record.
Even when comparing across all wicketkeepers, English great Alan Knott only managed to notch two fifties twice in a match, but never a pair of centuries. Pant’s latest Leeds performance sets a new benchmark in a role that has historically demanded the perfect balance of grit and grace — the wicketkeeper who must not only guard the stumps but also anchor the innings.
Most Aggregate Runs by a WK in an English Test
Pant’s dual centuries in Leeds helped him become the first wicketkeeper-batter in Test history to score more than 250 runs in a single Test match in England — a staggering aggregate that surpasses any previous tally by a designated keeper in the country.
| Player | First Innings | Second Innings | Venue | Year |
| Rishabh Pant | 134 | 118 | Leeds | 2025 |
| Rishabh Pant | 146 | 75 | Birmingham | 2022 |
| Matt Prior | 71 | 103 | Lord’s | 2011 |
| MS Dhoni | 77 | 74 | Birmingham | 2011 |
| Alan Knott | 92 | 63 | Oval | 1972 |
Pant is now the only designated wicketkeeper-batter to record two 50+ scores in a Test on two separate occasions in England, whether home or away. The sheer consistency of this achievement places him in a league of his own.
Surpassing Legends: Upstaging MS Dhoni
As Pant marches on, he is leaving behind legends in his wake. With his latest performance, Pant’s aggregate Test runs as a wicketkeeper-batter in England crossed 800 — making him the most prolific visiting wicketkeeper-batter in the country. He overtakes MS Dhoni (778 runs), followed closely by Australia’s Rod Marsh (773 runs).
| Most Runs by Visiting WK Batter in England |
|—————————-|——————-|
| Rishabh Pant | 801* |
| MS Dhoni | 778 |
| Rod Marsh | 773 |
| John Waite | 771 |
| Ian Healy | 684 |
Notably, Pant is also the only visiting wicketkeeper to score multiple centuries in England — a feat that further enhances his reputation as a traveller who thrives in challenging conditions. Since 2018, Pant has now scored four Test centuries on English soil: one at the Oval, one at Edgbaston, and two at Leeds.
With four tons in England, Pant is now tied with Sachin Tendulkar and Dilip Vengsarkar, and trails only Rahul Dravid (6) for the most Test hundreds by an Indian batter in England — yet another testament to his rising stature among cricket’s greats.
The Select Club of Twin Centurions
Pant’s performance makes him only the ninth visiting batter in Test history to score twin centuries in a single match in England. The list includes names like Shai Hope, Steve Smith, and Warren Bardsley. However, Pant’s feat stands out for several reasons. He is the first Asian to do so in England and the first Indian to score twin hundreds against England in England.
| Notable Visiting Batsmen with Twin Tons in England |
| Warren Bardsley (AUS) |
| George Headley (WI) |
| Bruce Mitchell (SA) |
| Shai Hope (WI) |
| Steve Smith (AUS) |
| Steve Waugh (AUS) |
| Colin Greenidge (WI) |
| Alan Melville (SA) |
| Rishabh Pant (IND) |
Further, he becomes the seventh Indian cricketer to achieve the feat of two hundreds in a single Test, joining a pantheon that includes Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar, Vijay Hazare, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ajinkya Rahane. Gavaskar and Dravid achieved the feat twice, but Pant is the first to do it on English soil as a wicketkeeper.
Rethinking the Wicketkeeper-Batter Role
Pant’s game-changing presence in the Indian Test team has redefined expectations from wicketkeepers. Traditionally, wicketkeepers were considered support batters — expected to add value at the tail end of the batting line-up. That narrative has been flipped with Pant’s performances. He isn’t just finishing innings — he is building them. In both the 2022 and 2025 English Tests, Pant batted in high-pressure situations, rescuing India from potential collapses and often forming match-turning partnerships.
His batting style, often described as fearless and instinctive, has at times drawn criticism for its high-risk nature. But as records now show, it is also incredibly productive. Pant’s mastery over swing, his footwork against spin, and his unorthodox shot selection reflect a cricketer who trusts his instincts and adapts rapidly.
India’s success in England in recent years — one of the toughest frontiers for Asian teams — owes much to Pant’s aggressive, counter-attacking approach. He has become the pivot of India’s middle order, especially in overseas conditions where conventional techniques often falter.
What Lies Ahead
Rishabh Pant is still only 27 years old. With his injury struggles behind him and a fresh stint as India’s Test vice-captain underway, the cricketing world is watching to see how high he can soar. His ability to maintain form across formats, his mental resilience, and his unique charisma make him one of the defining players of modern cricket.
If current trends continue, Pant is on track not just to break Indian records — but to reshape global wicketkeeping standards in the Test arena. For a role that has evolved from the old-school glove-work of Alan Knott to the dynamic explosiveness of Adam Gilchrist, Pant represents the next frontier.
As we enter a new era of Indian cricket, Pant’s ongoing journey offers inspiration to a new generation of players — especially those of Indian origin around the globe. His success story is not just about milestones but about perseverance, reinvention, and the indomitable spirit of the modern athlete.
Disclaimer: This article has been written exclusively for The WFY magazine’s Sports section. All statistical data referenced is accurate as of June 2025. The article avoids direct quotations from individuals not authorised for citation and is based on verified match records, official scorecards, and cricket archives. Any resemblance to third-party editorial content is coincidental. Published by the WFY Bureau Desk.
