Former Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar added a touch of humour and nostalgia to the Headingley Test on Monday as he was seen gesturing to India vice captain and wicket keeper Rishabh Pant, urging him to repeat his somersault celebration after scoring a century.
Rishabh Pant, who has been in scintillating form, hammered a brilliant 118 in the second innings, becoming the first Indian batter to score centuries in both innings of a Test match in England. He joins an elite list as the ninth visiting batter overall to achieve this feat, and the first since Australia’s Steven Smith in 2019.
In the first innings, Pant had celebrated his century (134) with a spontaneous somersault, drawing cheers from the crowd and the dressing room alike. So when the flamboyant wicketkeeper-batter edged closer to another hundred on Monday, anticipation filled the air—not just for the milestone, but for the celebration that might follow.
Among those waiting eagerly was Sunil Gavaskar, who was caught on camera gesturing from one of the balconies of the ground, playfully urging Pant to treat fans to another acrobatic moment. Pant, after completing his century with a composed single, responded with a smile and signalled, “Next time for sure.”
The light-hearted moment was a brief interlude in what is otherwise shaping up to be a tightly poised Test match. England ended Day Four requiring 350 runs for victory with all ten wickets intact, while India need 10 breakthroughs on the final day to clinch the series opener.
With Pant’s performances lighting up Headingley, and legends like Gavaskar joining in on the fun, the Test series has started with both high drama and heartwarming moments.
