Rishabh Pant's record-breaking twin tons put India in command, but it's still anybody's game

Ultimately, the only person who looked like getting Rishabh Pant out was Pant himself.

Pant-to-Pant chat brings maturity

There was the scratchy, chance-laden start to his innings, the devil of unorthodoxy on his shoulder whispering chaotic suggestions in his ear, but then Pant literally had a word with himself – picked up on the stump microphone – and began to settle down.

Apart from that, there were the 25 balls he spent in the 90s, the pressure of reaching a milestone seemingly weighing more heavily than you might imagine for a player as carefree as India’s wicketkeeper.

In between that, though there was misery for England, elation for India – a remarkable knock of 118 that has, along with KL Rahul’s polished 137, batted the tourists into a formidable position going into Day Five.

However Pant’s innings didn’t just break English hearts, along the way he broke countless records too – more than one for every six he struck – new achievements on an already impressive resume, which considering he is still only aged 27 has laid the foundations for his career to be one of the all time greats.

Pant etches his name in history books

Pant, of course, had already notched a century in this game, making him only the second wicketkeeper to do so in both innings of a match after Andy Flower against South Africa in 2001. Not only that, but Pant became the first Indian batter to score hundreds in both innings in England and only the ninth visiting one to do so.

Indeed, Flower is perhaps the only man who stands between Pant and a whole host of wicketkeeper records, the Indian’s 252 runs in this match made it the most for an Indian keeper in any Test and the fourth highest by a wicketkeeper of any nation. The three efforts above Pant in the record books? All by Andy Flower.

Perhaps the most remarkable statistic is that this, Pant’s fourth ton on English soil, equals the most for any wicketkeeper in England, alongside Matt Prior and Alec Stewart. His eighth Test century puts him third of all time with only Flower and Adam Gilchrist ahead of him – and Pant could be even closer to the Australian’s record had he converted any of the seven different times he has been out in the 90s.

Partnership with KL Rahul helps India

But this was not an innings played out simply in the record books, rather one in flesh and blood forged when India needed it most. When they lost skipper Shubman Gill in the first over of the day, they were only 98 runs ahead. By the time Pant got out, they had a lead of 293.

The stylish class of Rahul’s hundred should of course not be underplayed, he provided the anchor around which India built their total, but it is the explosive potential that Pant possesses that truly instills fear in opposition hearts – his 9 sixes in this game put him level with Andrew Flintoff and Ben Stokes for the most by any man in an English Test – the knowledge that he could take a Test away from you in the blink of an eye no doubt constantly in the back of opposing captain’s minds.

India collapse again, England have a chance

Whether he has truly taken this Test away from England remains to be seen, a second collapse of the game from India – this time 6/31 to complement the 7/41 they lost the first go around – has left the faintest crack in the door for the hosts.

India will be hoping Jasprit Bumrah can be the man to slam that door closed on Day Five, England dreaming another swashbuckling effort from their Bazballing batters could yet prise it open. They will need the second-highest fourth innings score of all time at Headingley if they are to do so, the stage set for a thrilling conclusion to this enthralling Test.