Knee shattered, body bruised, his condition was grim, Ravi Shastri recalls Rishabh Pant's condition after car crash

Dubai: Former India coach Ravi Shastri was first among those to laud Indian wicket-keeper batter's remarkable innings of 134 off 178 balls against England in the first Test at Headingley, Leeds.

This was 27-year-old's seventh Test century and second since surviving a near-fatal car accident in 2022.

Soon after Pant reached his century with a famboyant one-handed six he celebrated it in style with a somersault.

Explaining the significance of his celebration, Shastri told Sky Sports: “It was a gesture of gratitude. When I saw him in the hospital post-accident, his condition was grim, his knee was shattered, and his body covered in scars and bruises. To see him back like this is remarkable.

"I think his recovery from that accident had a lot to do with the frame of his body and being mid-20s," he added.

Praising Pant's fine show, Shastri said, "Outrageous. He plays the numbers game beautifully, plays the way he wants. He will block for a bit and then shift gears. He has his own computer and only he knows how it works. That's his USP. That's what puts bowlers under pressure and makes him box office, a real entertainer and a match winner," Shastri said.

Ian Ward, commentating for Sky Sports, called Pant “box office” and praised his century celebration as one of the best in Test cricket. “He’s one of the game’s great entertainers,” Ward said.