The swashbuckling left-handed wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant smashed his first Test century on his home soil after having a century to his name, one each in England and Australia. Coming in at 80/4, Pant stitched important partnerships with Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin and Washington Sundar as he took India from troubled waters to smooth sailing with his entertaining knock.
Pant wasn't his fluent self in the first half of his innings but really came into his own after reaching his half-century. Pant, who has had scores of 97, 89* and 91 in the last seven games in the series against Australia and now against England, finally broke the jinx and reached the three-figure mark.
India were in a spot of bother after losing three wickets for just 56 runs in the first session on the second day. But, the opening batsman Rohit Sharma kept the England bowlers at bay as he batted patiently at the other end. Rohit and Pant were successful in rebuilding the innings and take India's score beyond a hundred. However, Rohit couldn't continue for long.
After which, Pant took the initiative as he ground out a fifty off 82 balls. However, after bringing up half-century he just exploded and took on the England bowlers, one after the other. He scored the next fifty runs in just 33 balls to reach the three-figure mark for the first time in India. But, the jubilation was short-lived for the 23-year old as he got out to James Anderson, soon after.
