‘Same jagah maare ja raha hai’ – Rishabh Pant tells Ravindra Jadeja moments before his dismissal

Rishabh Pant. (Photo source: Jio Hotstar)

India vice-captain Rishabh Pant scored a brilliant century against England in the first Test at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday, June 21. Pant is known for his fearless batting and brought up his seventh Test century in trademark fashion with a six.

The left-hander was eventually dismissed LBW by Josh Tongue after a delivery that nipped back in. His innings, however, was packed with aggression featuring 84 runs in boundaries.

Pant, just before his dismissal, was seen telling Ravindra Jadeja at the non-striker’s end, “Sooja diya hai yaar isne maar-maar ke, same jagah maare ja raha hai (My knee is swollen, he’s hitting me in the same spot repeatedly).”

Pant’s 134-run knock steadied India’s innings and also helped him surpass Indian great Mahendra Singh Dhoni to become the wicketkeeper with the most Test centuries for India. This was Pant’s first Test century since September 2024, when he scored 109 against Bangladesh.

In his 90-Test career, Dhoni scored 4,876 runs with six centuries and 33 fifties at an average of 38.09. He remains the highest run-scorer among Indian wicketkeeper-batters. Pant, with this innings, crossed 3,000 Test runs in just 44 matches and currently averages close to 44, with seven centuries and 15 half-centuries to his name.

Pant’s performance was lauded by cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, who praised his smart shot selection and highlighted his clever use of the paddle sweep as an example of intelligent and situational batting.

“Rishabh’s falling paddle sweep is not accidental. It is intentional and extremely clever. Going down with the shot allows him to get under the ball and scoop it over leg slip with control,” Tendulkar wrote on X.