Rishabh Pant on somersault celebration: Worked hard on gymnastics post my accident

Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant revealed that he had envisioned three different celebrations for his comeback Test century against England in Leeds, before ultimately opting for his trademark somersault. Pant lit up Saturday's play at Headingley, bringing up his seventh Test hundred in his first match as the team's vice-captain.Speaking to Cheteshwar Pujara ahead of the third day's play, Pant explained that he had practised somersaults since his school days. The wicketkeeper-batter shared that, following his road accident in 2022, he had to put in considerable effort to regain the ability—but is now once again performing gymnastics with ease.advertisement'I had three celebrations in mind. One of them was 'let the bat do the talking'. Then I thought, I'll stick with mine. I've been doing it since childhood (the somersault). I trained in gymnastics during school,' Pant told Sony Sports. ENG vs IND, 1st Test Day 3 Updates
'In school, I did gymnastics. I'm very used to it. Even if you wake me up in the middle of the night, I can do a somersault. After the accident, I had to work even harder at it. But I put in the work, and now it's easy for me again,' he said.Pant executed the front flip after bringing up his century with a six off Shoaib Bashir. On 99, the England off-spinner floated one invitingly, and Pant needed no second invitation—he advanced down the track and launched Bashir into the stands, removing his helmet to mark the milestone.advertisementHe then dropped his bat and gloves to the ground before delighting the Leeds crowd with a front flip. This was Pant's second successive hundred in as many innings; he had performed a similar somersault after scoring a century in the final match of the Indian Premier League for Lucknow Super Giants.'When Bashir was bowling the previous over, I thought I should get to the hundred then and there. I didn't want to play percentage cricket and take a risk—he bowled well, so I respected it and took a single. In the next over, when he came back, I told him, 'If you keep the field close-in, I'll go for the big shot.' Luckily, I was on 99. I was confident, but I still wanted to play the ball on merit,' Pant said, reflecting on the moment he reached three figures.Pant demonstrated greater restraint than ever before, while retaining his trademark flamboyance. He struck six sixes and 12 boundaries, mixing caution with aggression. He played audacious scoops, danced down the track to fast bowlers, yet also showed the discipline to respect the bowler and match situation.India posted 471, despite a collapse in which their last seven wickets fell for just 42 runs. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, captain Shubman Gill, and vice-captain Pant all notched up hundreds.TRANSITION FROM IPL TO TESTSadvertisementPant shared that he had consciously worked on playing straighter and trimming certain shots from his repertoire as he transitioned from IPL to red-ball cricket.'In my mind, I wanted to cut down on a few shots (in preparation for Tests after the IPL). I wanted to play in the 'V'. If you noticed, I haven't played many shots at balls that were wide. I'm trying to play straight,' he explained.Prior to this knock, Pant had scored 255 runs in five Tests, crossing the fifty-run mark only once. He had been criticised for a few reckless shots at crucial junctures during the series.However, Pant appears to have put those struggles behind him, bouncing back in his inimitable style in the first Test of the England tour—shouldering responsibility with a young team in the post-Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma era. You May Also Like

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India.com

38 minutes ago

• India.com

Fact Check: Did Jasprit Bumrah Use Sandpaper During IND vs ENG 1st Test? Heres the Truth Behind the Viral Video

A video featuring Indian fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has gone viral on social media, triggering a wave of speculation and false accusations. The clip, which is being widely circulated by some fans and social media users, claiming that Bumrah was caught using sandpaper during the India vs England 1st Test at Headingley, Leeds. But is there any truth to this claim? Here's what really happened. The Viral Video and False Claims The clip in question shows Bumrah bending down to adjust his shoe during a break in play. As he does so, a small object is seen falling from his footwear. A section of fans, particularly from Australia, jumped on the opportunity to suggest that the object was sandpaper, hinting at ball tampering, a sensitive topic in cricket ever since the infamous 2018 "Sandpapergate" scandal involving Australia. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ganesh (@cricketmerapyar1) What Actually Happened: The Real Story The truth, however, is far from what is being suggested. The video in question isn't from the current IND vs ENG series, but from a Test match in Sydney during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, held earlier in 2024–25. And that mysterious object? It was not sandpaper. Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin stepped in to clear the air during that time. In a humorous yet direct post on X (formerly Twitter), he said, 'That's a finger protection pad ' The tweet instantly diffusing the situation and clarifying that the item seen in the video was a finger protection pad commonly used by bowlers, not sandpaper. Context Matters: Why the Confusion? Bumrah is known for slipping in shoe padding or wearing protective inserts to reduce the strain on his feet, especially given the high-impact nature of fast bowling. What fell from his shoe was likely such a pad or an inner cushioning used to provide comfort during his delivery stride. Such accessories are entirely legal and common among professional fast bowlers, making the sandpaper allegations baseless. The Real Focus: India vs England 1st Test at Headingley While old videos and false claims were making rounds, Jasprit Bumrah was busy doing what he does best , dismantling batting orders. In the ongoing first Test at Headingley, Bumrah picked up three crucial wickets, showing once again why he is considered one of the best fast bowlers in the world. India posted a formidable 471 runs in the first innings, powered by centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant. In response, England are 327/5 in 77 overs during the ongoing match at Leeds. No Sandpaper, Just Sensationalism The claim that Jasprit Bumrah ever used sandpaper is false and based on an out-of-context video from a different series. With Ashwin clarifying the object as a finger pad and no credible evidence of tampering, the controversy appears to be a classic case of internet-fueled misinformation. People should not believe everything they see on internet instead try to read about it properly. This Fact check was in respect for Bumrah who has been relentlessly bowling exceptional for India irrespective of the format or condition.

First Post

39 minutes ago

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Watch: Fight erupts in England-Spain U-21 Euro quarter-final, with players having to be dragged off pitch

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Time of India

42 minutes ago

• Time of India

Definitely no politics, but open to coaching India: Sourav Ganguly

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