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The first time Rishabh Pant did a somersault after scoring a century in the IPL, it drew sharp criticism from World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev. “Pant could have injured himself doing that,” Kapil had warned, offering a word of caution rather than celebration.
However, Pant is in a league of his own. He repeated the somersault celebration after scoring a century in the first innings of the Leeds Test against England — a move that again drew concern from Kapil Dev. “That was again dangerous,” the legendary all-rounder remarked, reiterating his fears of Pant risking injury through such flamboyant gestures.
Kapil Dev comes from a generation that used to play cricket to stay fit — unlike the current generation, which focuses on fitness to play cricket. Naturally, he’s not a fan of antics like somersaults, which in his view, risk unnecessary injury and distract from the discipline the game demands.
After completing his eighth Test century — his second in the ongoing first Test against England at Headingley — Pant chose not to celebrate with a somersault.
Perhaps, in that moment, Pant realised what Sunil Gavaskar once lived by: even during his playing days, Gavaskar avoided bending to pick up the ball after defending it, fearing a potential back injury. If a legend like him took such care, why should Pant risk it with flamboyant celebrations
