Rishabh Pant slams 2nd IPL century with acrobatic celebration, marks full-circle comeback

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant smashed his second Indian Premier League (IPL) century during the clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Tuesday. His knock of 118* off 61 balls not only lifted his team to 227/3 but also sent a message about his comeback.

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Pant reached his century in just 54 deliveries and marked the moment with an acrobatic somersault celebration—a symbol of his return to peak fitness following a near-fatal accident in December 2022.

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Following months of intense rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, Pant made a long-awaited return to professional cricket during the 2024 IPL season, representing Delhi Capitals against Punjab Kings.

His return to Test cricket was equally triumphant—he scored a century against Bangladesh in his comeback match, helping India to a dominant 280-run win.

Pant’s IPL record has been consistently impressive since his debut with the Delhi franchise in 2016. In five of his eight previous seasons, he has maintained a strike rate of over 150. In IPL 2024, he scored 446 runs in 13 matches with an average of 40.54 and a strike rate of 155.40.

However, this season had been underwhelming for Pant until now, with his average dipping to 12.80 and a strike rate of 99.22. Yesterday’s century was not only a return to form but also a statement of skill and fitness.