History-maker Rishabh Pant's second ton leaves first Test between England-India at Headingley on a knife edge going into fifth day
By Alex Livie
Updated 23/06/2025 at 21:49 GMT+1
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The first Test of the summer between England and India is shaping up to be a thriller, with all three results still open going into the final day at Headlingley. India's star keeper-batter Rishabh Pant made his second century of the match, and KL Rahul also made three figures from the top of the order, as India set England a victory target of 371 in Leeds. Play resumes on Tuesday.
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Rishabh Pant put himself in rarefied air after his second century of the match left the first Test of the series between England and India at Headingley finely poised.
Pant returned to cricket from a horror injury suffered in a car crash in 2022 to cement his place in the India Test side heading into the summer series in England.
In a new-look India side shorn of the services of retired greats Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Pant is one of the senior figures in the team under new captain Shubman Gill.
Responsibility seems to be sitting well on Pant’s shoulders, as he helped India to a lead after the first innings with a century.
The keeper-batsman followed up his knock in the first innings with another ton in his second dig, as India posted 364 all out to set England a target of 371 for victory.
England's openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett navigated their way through six overs with little alarm, and England will need a further 350 runs for victory on the fifth day.
In reaching three figures for the second time in the match, Wisden confirmed Pant became only the second wicket-keeper to make two centuries in the same match.
The other player to do so was Zimbabwe great and former England coach Andy Flower, who achieved the feat in a Test against South Africa in 2001.
Cricinfo confirmed Pant joined other impressive clubs, as he became the first Indian to hit back-to-back tons in Tests in England, and the first player from his country to hit two tons in the same away Test since Kohli in 2014.
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Pant’s innings came to an end when Crawley pouched him at deep mid-wicket off Shoaib Bashir, and the Headingley crowd rose to clap him from the field after making 118.
KL Rahul was the other centurion for India, as he made 137 after opening the batting.
But as in the first innings, when they lost their final seven wickets for 41, India did not put the game out of reach as Josh Tongue took three wickets as the tourists collapsed from 333-4 to 364 all out.
Joe Root is the world's No. 1 Test batsman, but he has other strings to his bow and in pouching Shardul Thakur off Tongue he joined Rahul Dravid for the most catches from a fielder in Tests with 210.
India set England a target of 371 for victory and the hosts played out six overs without alarm, meaning all three results are possible on Tuesday.
Just go for the win
England captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum have been clear in their thinking that playing for draws is not an option, and it would appear a run chase is the plan for the final day in Leeds.
There is a mixed weather forecast on Tuesday but, if time allows, England will be chasing the win - according to Nottinghamshire seamer Tongue.
"Just go for the win, that's the clear message in the changing room," Tongue told the BBC.
"We'll try and be as positive as we can in that first session, then see where we are at lunch - then we'll take things from there.
"With our batting line-up, I feel we can chase down anything. Their bowlers are going to bowl well in periods, but it's about soaking up that pressure and putting it back on the bowlers. I don't see why we can't chase it.
"Obviously, we're really confident. If you look at our batting line-up, it's very strong. We play a positive brand of cricket."
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