Perhaps Rishabh Pant’s six off Chris Woakes in the final over of day one was a sign of the fireworks to come on day two at Headingley.

When most Test batters would have played for the close, ensured they would still be at the crease the following morning, Pant opted to charge down the wicket and wallop England’s Woakes into the stands over deep midwicket. As ever, he thought differently.

That eye-popping shot came after a largely sedate knock up to that point with the India vice-captain reining himself as he ushered new skipper Shubman Gill through to a classy century.

But Pant expressed himself to the max in the the opening session on Saturday with a swashbuckling, unorthodox display of batting.

Sixes, a somersault, the ‘falling paddle’ as Ravi Shastri coined one audacious shot. There was majesty and madness in equal measure as Pant hacked and smacked his way to 134 from an overnight 65.

From ‘stupid, stupid, stupid’ to ‘superb, superb, superb’

India legend Sunil Gavaskar had uttered the words “stupid, stupid, stupid” while on commentary when Pant fell to a failed scoop during the series defeat in Australia this winter but was saying “superb, superb, superb” after this arresting knock in Leeds.

You couldn’t take your eyes off it – even if Pant himself did just that with an attempted no-look flick off Ben Stokes’ bowling.

It was shortly before drinks when the falling paddle was first played – Pant scooping Shoaib Bashir over leg slip for four before falling to the turf. A few balls later he carted Bashir for six into the well-lubricated fans in the Western Terrace. But the best was to come.

“One or six, what’s it going to be?” was the question posed by Sky Sports commentator Ian Ward as Pant began the 100th over of the innings, bowled by Bashir, on 99. The latter, Wardy, the latter…

And what a six it was. Eased over midwicket with one hand off the bat. And what a celebration it was. A somersault that Olympic gymnast Simone Biles would have been proud of.

“This fella is box office. One of the great entertainers and one of the best hundred celebrations I have seen. He’s a character this boy, isn’t he!?” was Ward’s reaction – before a six over long-off two balls later confirmed Pant’s fun was not over yet.

‘Pant has his own computer and only he knows how it works’

You never quite knew what was coming next – a block, a leave, a swipe or extreme innovation – but you knew it would be worth watching. Even his dismissal was eccentric. Getting in an awful position while opting not to play a shot against Josh Tongue and trapped plumb lbw. Entertainment over.

But he had done his job, swelling India’s score on day two having played with great restraint on day one when perhaps mindful the man beneath him in the order Karun Nair – who went on to make a duck – was playing his first Test in eight years – and that India possess a long tail, one England eventually ripped through.

Method to his madness.

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri said of Pant on Sky Sports Cricket: “Outrageous. He plays the numbers game beautifully, plays the way he wants. He will block for a bit and then shift gears.

“He has his own computer and only he knows how it works. That’s his USP. That’s what puts bowlers under pressure and makes him box office, a real entertainer and a match winner.”

Pant back at the top after 2022 car crash

Pant’s knock – his seventh Test century and second since a major car crash in late 2022 that could have cost him his life – may not prove match-winning with England fighting back well in Leeds, initially with the ball and later on with the bat as Ollie Pope justified his selection over Jacob Bethell with a ninth Test hundred.

But it was a joy to watch and clearly from Pant’s acrobatics after his hundred-sealing six, it meant an awful lot to him, particularly after that horror accident three years ago.

Shastri added: “That’s why there was that celebration. Thanking the man upstairs for giving him the opportunity.

“I think his recovery from that accident had a lot to do with the frame of his body and being mid-20s.

“When I saw him in hospital, it wasn’t a pretty sight. Knee in a mess, scars all over the place, bruises all over the place.”

Thankfully it is now just sparkling strokes all over the place. The great entertainer is back doing what he does best. Superb, superb, superb.

Watch day three of the first Test between England and India live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 10.15am on Sunday (11am first ball) or stream with no contract.

England vs India Test series ☀️

All games at 11am UK and Ireland; all live on Sky Sports

• First Test: Friday June 20-Tuesday June 24 – Headingley
• Second Test: Wednesday July 2-Sunday July 6 – Edgbaston
• Third Test: Thursday July 10-Monday July 14 – Lord’s
• Fourth Test: Wednesday July 23-Sunday July 27 – Emirates Old Trafford
• Fifth Test: Thursday July 31-Monday August 4 – The Kia Oval