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India's Rishabh Pant celebrates after scoring a century on day two of the first cricket test match between England and India at Headingley in Leeds, England, Saturday, June 21, 2025, (AP Photo/Scott Heppell)
Former India player Sanjay Manjrekar was full of praises for Rishabh Pant’s free-flowing century against England in the second day of the first Test at Leeds on Saturday. Pant scored his 7th Test century and his 3rd on England soil before he was dismissed for 134 with India getting bowled out for 471 runs.
“By far, India’s greatest ever Test batter-keeper. I was worried when he was in the 90s that he might end up getting his 8th 90 of his career. It is just unbelievable that he has so many 90s! But he’s a breath of fresh air. When he got out and raised his bat, there were a lot of English supporters who stood up and applauded that innings. That’s what we love about England — these guys come to watch good cricket. They obviously want their team to win, but when they see excellence from the opposition, you can see true appreciation for it,” Manjrekar said on JioHotstar.
Former England bowler Stuart Broad also branded Pant’s innings as box office.
“England crowds are always amazing at respecting and appreciating fantastic innings, but that reception which Pant got was one of the loudest I’ve heard for an opposition player scoring a hundred in England. It was really well appreciated, because it was so entertaining. We didn’t know what was coming! There were those falling scoops, full-blooded shots, run-out chances… everything was going on. Everything you want as a Test match fan — patience, leaving, then, a flair shot, putting the bowlers under pressure. The crowd really appreciated everything Rishabh Pant did. Box office – truly a box office innings,” Broad said.
In the match, Jasprit Bumrah produced a moment of pure magic after Pant unfurled a remarkable hundred, but England showed spunk to reach 107 for one at tea.
Ben Duckett (53) and Ollie Pope (48) were at crease at the break after adding 103 runs for the second wicket as the home side now trail India’s first innings total of 471 by 364 runs.
England needed a strong start but Bumrah made it impossible with a zippy first spell under grey skies in which he consumed opener Zak Crawley (4).
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