Rishabh Pant Joins Elite Club: Only 2 Wicketkeepers in Cricket History Achieve This Feat – Gilchrist, ABD, McCullum, Sanga Trail Behind
Rishabh Pant created a host of records as he starred with two centuries in each of the innings in the Headingley Test match
Rishabh Pant scripted history by becoming the first Indian player to score a century in both innings of a Test match. The wicketkeeper batter took on the English bowlers on Day 4 with his attacking batting approach and put India in a formidable position, as KL Rahul also scored a fine century as India stretched their lead past 250.
The left-handed batter, who scored 134 in the first innings, reached the triple-figure mark in 130 balls on Monday to stamp his authority over the English bowlers. He smashed 13 fours and 2 sixes en route to his century. The Indian dressing stood up to applaud him
Pant, who recently became the new vice-captain of Team India, showed maturity in the first half of his innings. After a couple of flashy shots, he learnt from his mistakes and became watchful during the tough period before the Lunch break. However, in the second session, he came up with an attacking plan to take on the English bowlers and put them under pressure.
He became the first Indian to score a century in both innings of a Test match in England. Meanwhile, he also etched his name in history to become the second wicketkeeper batter to score twin centuries in a Test match after Andy Flower, who did it against South Africa in 2001.
- Andy Flower 142 & 199* vs SA Harare 2001
- Rishabh Pant 134 & 100* vs Eng Headingley 2025
He joined an exclusive group as the seventh Indian to reach the milestone, with legends like Sunil Gavaskar achieving it on three occasions and Rahul Dravid doing it twice before him.
- Vijay Hazare
- Sunil Gavaskar (3)
- Rahul Dravid (2)
- Virat Kohli
- Ajinkya Rahane
- Rohit Sharma
- Rishabh Pant
The 27-year-old drew loud cheers from the Leeds crowd as they celebrated his milestone with enthusiasm but they missed his trademark somersault celebration this time.
Amid his explosive innings, Pant showed a rare moment of frustration when he failed to execute a scoop shot, narrowly avoiding a reckless dismissal. Following the close call, he was visibly seen engaging in self-talk, urging himself to stay composed and avoid taking unnecessary risks. His batting partner, KL Rahul was also seen helping him with his insights as also told him to be watchful of the balls before playing shots.
After a breathtaking start to the second session, Pant became watchful once again when he was at 98 and took his time to reach the milestone. He never looked nervous, but was all relaxed to get to the mark.
In a breathtaking display of resilience, skill, and flair, Rishabh Pant has etched his name in cricket history by joining a super-elite club: only two wicketkeeper-batsmen ever have scored centuries in both innings of a Test match. Pant now stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the legendary Zimbabwean keeper Andy Flower, leaving icons like Adam Gilchrist, AB de Villiers, Brendon McCullum, and Kumar Sangakkara trailing far behind.
At Headingley during the India vs. England first Test (June 2025), Pant unleashed twin centuries—134 in the first innings and 118 in the second—for a match aggregate of 252 runs .
This extraordinary performance made him only the second wicketkeeper in Test history to achieve this feat, after Andy Flower .
He also became the first Indian wicketkeeper ever to score twin-Test centuries on English soil
Twin centuries in a Test as a designated wicketkeeper are incredibly rare—only Andy Flower and now Rishabh Pant have done it.
Pant is the first Indian keeper-batsman to replicate this feat in England and only the second globally
Legends like Gilchrist, ABD, McCullum, Sanga—renowned for powerful batting—have never recorded twin-Test tons, making Pant the standout.
Match — India vs. England at Headingley (June 2025)
- First innings: 134 runs
- Second innings: 118 runs
- 🧮 Total: 252 runs – the highest match aggregate by a designated wicketkeeper in a Test on English soil
Fastest Indian Keeper to 3,000 Test Runs
- Achieved during Headingley Test (June 2025), overtaking MS Dhoni’s record .
- Becomes the second-fastest keeper worldwide to reach 3,000 Test runs.
Joined MS Dhoni and others as only the third Indian keeper to tally 150 catches in Tests (Day 3, Headingley)
First Indian keeper to smash tons in both innings of a Test (Headingley)—unprecedented
In 2021, reached 100 dismissals in just 26 Tests—beating MS Dhoni (36 Tests)
Scored a Test century (114 at The Oval, 2018) and an ODI ton (125*, Manchester, 2024)—a dazzling double
Took 11 catches versus Australia in 2018 at Adelaide—tying the all-time Test record
Unbeaten 159 in Sydney (2019), becoming the first Indian wicketkeeper to score a Test century Down Under
At Chepauk in 2024, Pant joined MS Dhoni’s elite group with six Test hundreds each, making him the fastest Indian wicketkeeper to reach six hundreds
| Keeper | Tests to Twin-Test Tons | Test Fifties & Hundreds* | Dismissals/Matches | Test Runs (First 34 Tests) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rishabh Pant | 1 (Headingley, 2025) | 6 hundreds | ~1.9 dismissals per match | 2,419 runs |
| Andy Flower | 2 innings in match (Test) | — | N/A | N/A |
| Adam Gilchrist | Never | Many hundreds | — | 2,282 runs |
| AB de Villiers | Never | Many hundreds | — | — |
| Kumar Sangakkara | Never | Many hundreds | — | — |
* Only Pant has scored twin centuries in a Test match.
Aggressive, fast-paced innings—evident in his Headingley knock, shaking off early nerves to fire two big centuries
Lightning-fast stumpings, razor-sharp catches—leading to record-breaking dismissals
Proven excellence across SENA nations—centuries in England, Australia, Zimbabwe, and more.
Consistently setting new benchmarks—150 catches, fastest to 3,000 runs—all before turning 28.
Battling neck-and-neck with Dhoni, equaling twin-century legend Flower, and surpassing stats of Gilchrist and ABD early in his career.
High-Stakes Performance: Pant delivered twin centuries in a high-pressure Test, showcasing nerves of steel.
Innovative Technique: Blending unorthodox strokeplay with sound cricketing fundamentals, his batting is both exciting and effective.
Dual Impact: Balances explosive batting with elite wicketkeeping—rare combination in cricket.
Record-Breaker: Sets new benchmarks faster and harder than any predecessor.
Cultural Touchstone: Iconic celebrations, media presence, and popularity make him a fan favorite at home and abroad.
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