IND vs ENG: 'No one expected him to do that' - Who said what about Rishabh Pant's somersault celebration?
Rishabh Pant's celebration after ton against England (AP Photo/Scott Heppell)
NEW DELHI:
Rishabh Pant
has never been one to stick to the script, and he proved that once again at Headingley with a celebration as electrifying as his innings.
After notching up his seventh Test century in classic Pant style, charging down the track and launching Shoaib Bashir over deep midwicket for a towering six, the India vice-captain stunned fans and teammates alike with a surprise somersault celebration.
The move, equal parts flamboyant and athletic, quickly set social media ablaze and became the highlight of Day 2 of the first Test between India and England.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
SUBSCRIBE NOW!
While Pant's acrobatics wowed viewers, they also drew amused and admiring reactions from former cricketers and teammates.
Dinesh Karthik
, speaking on the broadcast, quipped, "Neither could I do the somersault like him, nor can I bat like him.
When I was very young, my parents made me try gymnastics, and I was an utter failure. So let's just leave it there because he's doing it so much nicer when he celebrates it."
Former head coach
Ravi Shastri
also praised Pant's unexpected flair: 'At a very young age, he did a lot of gymnastics. He does it really well. I think it was unique. No one expected him to do that. Nothing wrong with it — though if I tried it, I'd probably end up in a swimming pool!'
Cheteshwar Pujara
, typically reserved, summed it up simply: 'Rishabh being Rishabh.
He does something unique.'
Yashasvi Jaiswal credits Shubman Gill after maiden Test ton in England: 'I love it'
Pant's celebration mirrored one he had pulled off during the
IPL
earlier this year, but seeing it on the Test stage added a new level of surprise. His innings — a blistering 102 off 146 balls with 10 boundaries and four sixes — came at a crucial time, forging a 209-run partnership with
Shubman Gill
(147) to push India beyond the 400-run mark.
As fans marveled at the shot-making, it was the flip that stole the spotlight — a moment that perfectly encapsulated Pant's spirit: fearless, fun, and fiercely unforgettable.
Follow all the live updates, scores, and highlights from the
India vs England Test match here
.
Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
19 minutes ago
- NDTV
India vs England LIVE, 1st Test, Day 3: India Star's Sharp Response, Centurion Ollie Pope Sent Back To The Hut
India vs England 1st Test, Day 3, Live Updates: Play has begun on Day 3 of the first Test between India and England at Headingley. India are aiming to get some early wickets, but rain could play spoilsport in the early stages of Day 3. England have reached 255/3 after 51 overs, with centurion Ollie Pope and Harry Brook at the crease. India ended Day 2 with a lead of 262 runs. Jasprit Bumrah has taken all three English wickets, and Team India will be hoping for better contributions from the rest of their pace attack. Earlier in the match, new India captain Shubman Gill top-scored with 147 as India made 471, while Rishabh Pant (134) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (101) also scored tons. (Live Scorecard) IND vs ENG 1st Test, Day 3 Live Updates: India vs England, straight from Headingley Cricket Ground, Leeds:
News18
19 minutes ago
- News18
Sourav Ganguly Open To Coaching Team India: 'Never Really Thought About It...'
Last Updated: Sourav Ganguly, former Indian cricket captain, is open to coaching the Indian men's team. Arguably, one of India's best-ever captains, Sourav Ganguly, is open to the idea of coaching the Indian men's cricket team. Ganguly, who will turn 53 this July, served as the Team Director of Delhi Capitals from 2018-19 to 2022-24. 'I never really thought about it because I got into different roles," Ganguly was quoted as saying by PTI when asked if he would like to coach the Indian team. 'I finished (competitive cricket) in 2013 and then became Board (BCCI) president," Ganguly noted, highlighting that his biggest contribution in that role was promoting women's cricket. When asked if he could have contributed more by becoming India's coach, Ganguly said: 'We'll see what the future holds. I'm just 50 (53), so let's see what happens. I'm open to it. We'll see where it goes." Ganguly praised incumbent coach Gautam Gambhir, noting his progress since the Champions Trophy victory in Dubai earlier this year. 'Gautam (Gambhir) is doing a good job. He started off a little slow, losing to Australia and New Zealand, but he picked up with the Champions Trophy. This is going to be a big series (vs England)," Ganguly said. When asked about Gambhir's tactical acumen, Ganguly praised his passion and straightforward nature. 'I haven't seen him from very close in this role, but I know he is very passionate. I haven't observed his strategies closely because I haven't worked with him as a coach. 'He's very straightforward, he sees things clearly, and he's very open about what he feels, about the team, players, people, everything. From the outside, you can tell he's a very transparent person – what you see is what you get." Ganguly recalled his playing days, noting Gambhir's respect for senior players. 'I've played with him. He was a great guy with a lot of respect for me and the senior players. Even now, I can see he is extremely passionate about his job." Ganguly also believes Gambhir should be given time to grow as a coach and learn over time. 'I wish him all the best. He's just a year into the job, and this will be an important (England) tour. He struggled a bit in Australia, but just like everyone else, he'll learn, he'll grow, and he'll become better," Ganguly added.
News18
19 minutes ago
- News18
DK Questions Gambhir For Pant's Dismissal: 'Needs To Be A Different Way In...'
Last Updated: Rishabh Pant was dismissed for 134 by Josh Tongue but Dinesh Karthik criticised coach Gautam Gambhir. Rishabh Pant broke multiple records as he entertained the Headingley crowd by scoring a century against England in the first Test of the five-match series on Saturday. The left-handed batter celebrated his achievement with a somersault, much to the delight of the packed crowd in Leeds. Pant was eventually dismissed for 134 by Josh Tongue after a lapse in concentration. On the second ball of the 108th over, Tongue targeted Pant's legs as bowled it on a that good length but outside off, getting it to jag back in sharply. Pant hopped across and tried to leave but the ball hit him on the pads. As the English players went up for the appeal, the umpire gave in and declared Pant out. Pant, after a long chat with the non-striker Ravindra Jadeja, decided to review it. The third umpire did not change the decision. Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik, who was commentating for Sky Sports, criticised head coach Gautam Gambhir for possibly sending Pant the wrong message during his innings. He suggested that Pant may have been instructed to alter his gameplay following the dismissals of Shubman Gill and Karun Nair. 'Also very interesting, when a message was sent out to Rishabh Pant, it curbed his style of play. He was just very carefree with his stroke making, and yet the feeling that a message was sent to tell him to calm down doesn't work for certain players, I guess," Dinesh Karthik said on commentary, as per reports. 'As a coach, it's completely understandable when you want to get a message across to the batter. But over time, you realise, for certain players, how you send that message becomes very important, what is the tone, what is the language used that gets the best out of the batter," he added. Dinesh Karthik also mentioned that Gambhir possibly needed to adopt a different approach to get the best out of Pant. 'Maybe with Rishabh Pant, it needs to be a different way in which you get things done," Karthik said. India lost the advantage in the first session on Day 2, losing four wickets in the last half hour. Shubman Gill (147), Karun Nair (0), Rishabh Pant (134), and Shardul Thakur (1) all fell in quick succession before lunch. First Published:
