"That partnership was a great show of character" - When Virat Kohli lauded KL Rahul & Rishabh Pant for twin centuries in ENG vs IND 2018 series

KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant dominated proceedings on Day 4 of the first Test against England at Headingley, Leeds, to start off the 2025 tour. The contrasting batters recorded important hundreds to place Team India in the driver's seat in the series opener, but it is not the first time that this pair has joined forces on English shores.

During the series finale of the 2018 tour at The Oval, Team India were set a daunting 464-run target by the Alastair Cook-led side. The visitors, who had already lost the series at that point, crumbled to 2-3 in the fourth over, before a partnership between KL Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane took them to 120-4.

Rishabh Pant joined the opening batter with India still miles away from the target at 121-5. However, the duo managed to hand England a slight score with their brilliant 204-run stand for the sixth wicket. KL Rahul scored 149 runs off 224 deliveries, while Rishabh Pant capped off his maiden tour with 114 runs off 146 balls.

KL Rahul's dismissal to a worldie by Adil Rashid reduced India to 325-6, and they soon collapsed to 345 all out. The then-India skipper Virat Kohli was all praise for the character that KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant showed during a time of crisis.

"A lot of credit has to go to both those young guys. Stepping up at such a difficult stage. Three wickets down for two runs. Jinks [Rahane] got stuck in with KL but I think the way KL and Rishabh batted showed the character we have in the team," Kohli said after Team India's 1-4 series loss to England (via ESPN Cricinfo).

"Guys like KL [Rahul], who hadn't had a great run, but still goes and plays like that. Guys want to take up their responsibility and want to be in the fight. Rishabh was doubtful after a few innings and then he comes and plays like that as well. I mean that partnership was something like a great show of character," he added. (via ESPN Cricinfo)

Both KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant had a difficult tour with the bat prior to the final innings at The Oval. The opening batter had scored only 150 runs in nine innings, while the left-handed wicket-keeper had scored 48 runs in his first five innings, which included a 29-ball duck at the Rose Bowl in Southampton.

KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant put on 195 runs for the fourth wicket in ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test second innings

KL Rahul was well set after his composed role in the second innings on Day 3, while Pant walked out to bat early on Day 4 after Shubman Gill's dismissal. The opening batter was a rock over the course of his innings, barring a dropped catch by Harry Brook. Pant, however, struggled for rhythm at the start, but grew comfortable as the innings progressed.

Their mammoth partnership took India to a safe total, but another lower-order collapse meant that the team were all out for 365. England have been handed a steep target of 371 for an early series lead, and were placed at 21-0 at Stumps on Day 4.