LEEDS, England (AP) — Centuries by Lokesh Rahul and Rishabh Pant launched India to a handsome lead of 304 runs against England at tea on day four Monday of the Headingley test.
Rahul was first there, his ninth hundred taking 202 balls. He waved his bat and kissed the crest on his helmet.
Pant followed and typically made it dramatic.
He blasted England after lunch, racing from 31 to 95. On the cusp of his second hundred in the match, he suddenly slowed down and seemed to tease the crowd. He finally got there with five singles over more than five overs.
Pant became only the second wicketkeeper in men’s test history to score two hundreds in a match, after Andy Flower for Zimbabwe against South Africa in 2011 in Harare.
He raised his bat and helmet but there was no somersault as in the first innings, when he scored 134.
Pant’s century took 130 balls. With the milestone pocketed, he went back to blitzing England, and was out for 118 off 140 balls going for another big hit but edging Shoaib Bashir to long-on.
At tea, India was 298-4 and Rahul was on 120 and Karun Nair on 4.
Pant and Rahul were separated 10 minutes before tea after coming together in the second over of the day at a critical time, with captain Shubman Gill out at 92-3.
Their stand was worth 195 runs. The first 50 runs took 19 overs, the second 50 took 12 overs, and the third 50 just six overs as they perfectly absorbed England’s attack on a lively pitch in the morning and let loose after lunch as the ball softened.
Their partnership was heading India toward the option of declaring before stumps to let Jasprit Bumrah have a go at England.
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The Associated Press
