'I Had Three Celebrations In My Mind': Rishabh Pant Reflects On His Somersault Moment During ENG Vs IND 1st Test Match; Video

Rishabh Pant brought both flair and emotion to the field as he celebrated his comeback Test century against England at Headingley with a trademark somersault. The moment, which lit up the second day's play, was not spontaneous but part of a premeditated plan that highlighted both his personality and perseverance.

Pant, who returned to Test cricket as India’s vice-captain, scored his seventh century in style, reminding fans of his unique brand of cricket. After reaching the milestone, he removed his gloves and helmet and performed a clean front somersault, drawing cheers from the crowd and applause from teammates.

Speaking to Cheteshwar Pujara in an interaction with Sony Sports ahead of Day 3, Pant revealed that he had actually prepared multiple celebration ideas in his mind before the match. “I had three celebrations in my mind. One of them was ‘let the bat do the talking’. Then I thought, I’ll stick with mine(Somersault celebration),” he said, referring to the flip he’s been known for since his early cricketing days.

In true Rishabh Pant style, it was a celebration that combined athleticism, emotion, and a touch of entertainment. It was a reminder that the cricketer is not only back but doing what he does best, in his own way.

ENG Vs IND, 1st Test: Jamie Smith’s Pull Shot Ends In Stunning Relay Catch By Ravindra Jadeja & Sai Sudharsan; Video

England batter Jamie Smith’s promising innings came to an end in dramatic fashion on Day 3 of the first Test against India at Headingley, as he was dismissed for 40 runs off 52 balls by pacer Prasidh Krishna. The dismissal showcased not just disciplined bowling but also exceptional teamwork and field awareness from India’s fielders.

The wicket came as Smith attempted a pull shot off a short delivery from Prasidh. Although he made decent contact, the timing wasn’t quite right. The ball soared toward deep square leg, where Ravindra Jadeja was stationed. Jadeja ran to his right and appeared set to complete the catch, but as he took it, he seemed to slightly misjudge the trajectory. Realizing he was losing his balance and heading toward the boundary ropes, Jadeja calmly tossed the ball back into the air to prevent a six.

That’s when Sai Sudharsan, fielding at deep backward square leg, came into the picture. Already converging on the ball, Sudharsan reacted quickly, moved to his right, and completed the catch just inside the ropes, making it a joint fielding effort to dismiss the English batter.

The smart fielding not only removed a set Jamie Smith, who had looked in good touch, but also lifted the Indian side with a moment of athletic brilliance. Prasidh Krishna, who was rewarded for his consistent short-ball strategy, added a key wicket to his tally as India looked to claw back control in the middle session.