Rishabh Pant produced a spectacular century on the first day of the rescheduled fifth Test against England at Edgbaston, giving India an early lead. Pant hammered 146 off 111 deliveries in a sensational attack that saw England blow their early lead and India ended the day at 338/7.

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After England dominated the visitors in the post-lunch session, that total was nowhere in sight. On the first morning, James Anderson was at his sharpest, first dismissing Shubman Gill early in the innings and then dismissing Cheteshwar Pujara. Pujara looked steady in his return, but a throw that took off slightly surprised him, and he ended up edging behind.

As a result of the incessant rain, the players were compelled to break for lunch early, and time was later lost in the second session as well. When play did resume, India was in big danger right away. 

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Matty Potts caught Hanuma Vihari leg-before-wicket, and he also got Virat Kohli in his next over when the former India captain failed to shoulder arms at the last moment. Shreyas Iyer came out firing and raced to 15 off just 9 balls, but a short delivery sent down the leg side by Anderson was pushed behind by the batsman, reducing India to 98/5.

It was only the Pant show from then on. He initially waited, but then pounced on Jack Leach for 14 runs in three deliveries to push his strike rate above 100. Pant never peered after that, smashing the English effort all over the ground. Jadeja, on the other hand, was cautious and did not take any unnecessary chances.

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Pant went wild in the final session, causing even more agony for the hosts. He began the session with two fours off Potts and an ambitious reverse ramp against Anderson that yielded only two runs.

Potts, on the other hand, was bleeding runs as Pant hit six boundaries off him after the game resumed. Despite Pant’s preference for the bowler, it was odd to see Ben Stokes continue with Leach when the batsman smashed a century off 89 balls.

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As he proceeded to keep fans waiting, his strike rate went up. Pant grabbed two fours and two sixes in an over off Leach as England struggled to find an answer to break the partnership.

Joe Root was again hammered, but the offspinner broke India’s best sixth-wicket stand against them by delivering one outside of off stump, which Pant edged to slip. Shardul Thakur didn’t survive long after being dismissed, but Jadeja cruised into the 80s before stumps.