Rishabh Pant celebrated his back-to-back hundreds with somersaults
Rishabh Pant had a near-death experience in December of 2022 when he crashed his car on Uttar Pradesh highway before being rescued just in time by a bus conductor and driver, who dragged him out of the burning vehicle.
Almost a year later, Pant made his full recovery and returned to the cricket field in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 and finished as the top-scorer of the season for the franchise.
MDS
136/10
PAL
161/8
HS
80/4
MPS
79/10
Hindukush Strikers beat Mahipar Stars by 6 wickets
MPS
–
PAL
–
MDS
–
HS
–
NAM
–
ASM
–
ASA
16/2
PRP
80/5
Match Abandoned
ALW
–
TBC
–
AHWS
150/9
MUKS
141/8
Adamas Howrah Warriors beat Murshidabad Kings by 9 runs
LSKT-W
104/10
SSM-W
22/4
Lux Shyam Kolkata Tigers Womens beat Sobisco Smashers Malda Womens by 16 runs (D/L) method
EL-W
79/5
SKK-W
78/1
Empire Lionesses Women beat SKK Women by 5 wickets
PCS-W
–
OCC-W
15/2
Match Abandoned due to rain
OCC-W
60/7
EL-W
61/1
Empire Lionesses-W beat Oulu CC-W by 9 wickets
Empire Lionesses-W beat Oulu CC-W by 9 wickets
SKK-W
75/1
PCS-W
69/8
SKK-W beat PCS-W by 9 wickets
SKK-W beat PCS-W by 9 wickets
PCS-W
86/7
EL-W
87/2
Empire Lionesses-W beat PCS-W by 8 wickets
Empire Lionesses-W beat PCS-W by 8 wickets
OCC-W
–
SKK-W
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
TYP-W
–
SCO-W
–
SCO-W
–
DGW-W
–
ENG-W
113/10
IND-W
210/5
India Women won by 97 runs
THUB
81/10
PCR
199/4
Phoenix Cricketers beat Thunder Cats B by 118 runs
GUC
–
THN
–
MB
141/7
MR
124/10
Malaysia Blues beat Malaysia Reds by 17 runs
MR
–
MB
–
SOR
238/7
MINY
237/4
Seattle Orcas beat MI New York by 3 wickets
WAF
77/4
SFU
–
LAKR
–
SOR
–
TSKS
–
MINY
–
ENGA-W
–
NZA-W
–
IRSCC
149/6
ALSC
151/6
Alpine Sporting Club beat Irises Cricket Club by 4 wickets
BES
30/10
CAO
85/10
Cricket Association Of Tathangchen beat Black Eagle SAP by 55 runs
YUC
–
IRSCC
–
PYXI
–
BES
–
ZIM
–
SA
418/9
PTS
53/6
AMW
57/0
Amazonian Warriors beat Piton Strikers by 10 wickets
Amazonian Warriors beat Piton Strikers by 10 wickets
IYH
–
CBG
33/4
PTS
–
BMB
–
WTS
–
AMW
–
CSG
114/4
MPS
156/7
Chepauk Super Gillies won by 6 wickets (DLS method)
LKK
203/6
SMS
135/10
Lyca Kovai Kings beat Salem Spartans by 68 runs
IDTT
–
NRK
–
DID
–
TGC
–
This year, he switched his allegiance to Lucknow Super Giants and was named the franchise captain. After enduring a miserable run for majority of IPL 2025, Pant ended the tournament with a superb 118 not out against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. When he reached the three-figure mark, Pant pulled out a special celebration by doing a front handspring.
His next innings also warranted that celebration as the keeper-batter scored a brilliant 134 in the first innings against England at Headingley. Even though he became the first ever keeper-batter to score twin hundreds in a Test match, Pant refrained from doing a somersault in the second innings when he scored 118.
ALSO READ:
His former teammate Ravichandran Ashwin, requested the left-hander not to do the somersault celebration because of the danger it poses, his doctor Dinshaw Pardiwala sees it as the consequence of going through a life-altering situation.
“Rishabh trained as a gymnast – and so although he looks large, he is quite agile, and he does have a lot of flexibility. And that’s why he’s been doing those somersaults of late. It’s a well-practised and perfected move – unnecessary though,” Dr. Pardiwala told The Telegraph.
Pant seemed to have fully put his IPL form behind him as he overtook MS Dhoni as the Indian wicket-keeper with most Test centuries with his seventh and eighth hundreds. He achieved the feat in just his 44th Test and is chasing Australian legend Adam Gilchrist’s record of 17 Test centuries.
“He recognises the fact that he was extremely lucky to be alive. He’s so motivated as a cricketer. If you knew the Rishabh before this happened, he’s a much more mature human being. He’s very philosophical now. He appreciates life and everything that goes around it. That typically happens to anyone who’s faced death in the face,” Dr Pardiwala explained.
Despite Pant’s twin hundreds, along with hundreds from captain Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, India lost the match and bagged the unwanted record of becoming first ever team to lose a Test match despite five hundreds.
They will wish for Pant to continue his form in the second Test in Birmingham beginning next Wednesday (July 2).
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram, and YouTube.
Pamir Legends beat Maiwand Champions by 25 runs