Revealed: Rishabh Pant punished himself after Melbourne Test blunder, deleted WhatApp, switched off his phone...

How Rishabh Pant worked hard for his comeback as a batter. (BCCI Photo)

Rishabh Pant grabbed headlines once again by becoming only the second wicketkeeper in history to score two centuries in a single Test match. Despite his remarkable knocks of 134 and 118, India fell short as England clinched victory in the series opener at Headingley.

Pant’s display was nothing short of spectacular, especially considering how contrasting his recent form had been. Just a few months earlier during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, Pant had struggled. He managed only 255 runs across five Tests, averaging 28.33. Known for his explosive style, the left-hander hit just 24 fours and six sixes in the entire series — one India went on to lose 1-3.

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Following the MCG, Pant reportedly realised that he needs to change something in order to perform at the highest level. He was heavily criticized for poor shot selection, with cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar even calling him “stupid, stupid, stupid” live on air — a remark that quickly went viral. After that series, Pant didn’t feature in a single game during the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy, where India lifted the title by defeating New Zealand in the final.

According to The Times of India, Pant made a major lifestyle change in March 2025. He uninstalled WhatsApp and kept his phone switched off most of the time, using it only when absolutely necessary. The move was reportedly aimed at cutting distractions and regaining focus.

In the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season, where he led the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) as captain, Pant’s form didn’t inspire much confidence. He struggled for runs throughout the tournament and failed to cross the 300-run mark overall. If not for a late-century against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final league match, his numbers would’ve looked even worse.

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However, his return to red-ball cricket has marked a turning point. Now serving as India’s vice-captain, Pant has begun the England series with renewed energy and focus.

Former India strength and conditioning coach Sohum Desai revealed that Pant had undergone a rigorous fitness regime during his time on the sidelines. Even while not playing a single game in the Champions Trophy, he continued to push himself physically, determined to come back stronger.

“He did the most intense sessions day in and day out. He dragged me into the gym whenever he was free. He didn't care about fatigue or work-loaded programmes. All he said was he needed to keep working on himself. On the day of the final, he came to me with some kind of guilt in his mind and asked if he could take the day off. I said it was high time that he did,” Desai told Times of India.

"Pant has so much reserve that he will be fine for at least a year without having to do anything extraordinary. That's why you see him moving around so well despite scoring two hundreds and keeping wickets for so long in the Headingley Test."