5th Test: Phenomenal Rishabh Pant plots India's fight back with game-changing ton on Day 1

At 98 for five, India were staring down the barrel but Pant (146 off 111 balls) scripted a remarkable turnaround in the company of Ravindra Jadeja (83 batting off 163) as the duo shared a match changing 222-run stand off 239 balls. Pant, who rendered the England bowlers helpless, hammered 20 boundaries and four sixes, in his awe-inspiring effort. Day 1: As It HappenedThe rain in the morning meant only 73 overs could be bowled on the opening day.

Having faced criticism for his struggles in white-ball cricket recently, Pant continued his love affair with the red-ball format by smashing his fifth century overall and fourth in overseas conditions.

The conditions and match situation was against him but he once again thrived on it to leave the opposition frustrated. As only he could, he danced down the track against the great James Anderson, reverse scooped him but also played conventional strokes, including the straight drives and back foot punches, enroute to the fastest hundred (89 balls) by an Indian wicketkeeper.

Read AlsoRishabh Pant fires fastest century by an Indian wicketkeeper in Test cricket

Swashbuckling wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant scored a scintillating 89-ball century against England on Day 1 of the 5th rescheduled Test against England in Birmingham. The quickfire ton from Rishabh is now the fastest by an Indian wicketkeeper in Test cricket.

In the nervous 90s, he fell on the ground while going aerial over Jack Leach but that still fetched him a four before reaching three figures in the following over. Stokes fancied Leach's chances against Pant but the ploy failed miserably as the southpaw collected boundaries off the left-arm spinner at will. Leach ended up with day's figures of 0/71 in nine overs.