Rishabh Pant features in his 50th Test, completes 3,500 runs
What's the story
India's star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has completed 50 Test matches. The one-off game against Afghanistan at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, marked his milestone. With his 24th run on Day 1, Pant also reached the milestone of 3,500 Test runs. He has indeed been sensational in the longest format. Here we decode his stats.
Career highlights
Third-most Tests as wicketkeeper for India
Since his Test debut against England in 2018, Pant has been a key player for India. As mentioned, he is now among the three wicket-keepers with at least 50 Test caps for India. While MS Dhoni leads this list with 90 appearances, Syed Kirmani takes second place with 88 such matches. Meanwhile, Pant scored a fifty on Day 1 of the game and returned unbeaten on 50 off 70 balls (2 fours, 3 sixes)
Statistical achievements
Over 3,500 runs in Tests
Pant has also been a prolific run-scorer for India, amassing 3,526 runs at an average of 42-plus across 87 innings. He is the second-highest run-scorer as a wicketkeeper for India in Tests, only behind Dhoni (4,876). His eight centuries speak volumes about his ability to anchor innings despite the challenges of the format. Only Adam Gilchrist (17) and Andy Flower (12) have hammered more hundreds as a designated keeper. The one against the Afghan team was his 19th fifty.
Upcoming opportunity
Potential record-breaking match for Pant
In his 50th Test match, Pant will also get a chance to become the first Indian cricketer to hit 100 sixes in Tests. He has already hit 97 sixes across 87 innings so far. This includes his three maximums on Day 1 of the game. Only three players—Adam Gilchrist (100), Brendon McCullum (107), and Ben Stokes (136)—have crossed the century mark for sixes in this format so far.
Feat
One of the two keepers with this feat
Pant scored centuries in both innings of the Leeds Test match against England last year. He made 134 in his first outing and followed it up with a score of 118. His match aggregate of 252 runs is the highest by an Indian wicketkeeper in a Test. As per Cricbuzz, Pant became only the second designated wicket-keeper to smoke twin hundreds in a Test, joining Zimbabwe legend Andy Flower.
Knock
A fine hand from Pant
India were well placed at 247/3 when Pant arrived to bat. He joined forces with skipper Shubman Gill, as the duo continued to torment the visitors. Pant made his intentions clear by smashing off-spinner Abdul Malik for three sixes in an over. While Gill went on to score a century, Pant scored a half-century. Both batters returned unbeaten as India ended the day at 368 /3.