Rishabh Pant Becomes the Fastest Indian Wicketkeeper to Score 2500 Test Runs

Bengaluru : Rishabh Pant etched his name in the record books on the fourth day of the first Test against New Zealand. He became the fastest Indian wicketkeeper to score 2500 Test runs at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Pant achieved this milestone in just 62 innings, surpassing the previous record held by former captain MS Dhoni, who accomplished it in 69 innings. Another Indian cricket legend, Farokh Engineer, had set the record earlier with 82 innings.

This remarkable achievement came as India made a strong comeback, scoring 405 runs for 3 wickets on the fourth day, gaining a lead of 49 runs. Pant was batting at 88 while Sarfaraz was at 148.

India resumed from 231/3 on the fourth day, with Pant and Sarfaraz tasked with bringing the team closer to the target. Despite suffering a knee injury while keeping on the third day, Pant showed no signs of discomfort and took charge with his signature aggressive style. After a cautious start, he launched a counterattack, hitting two consecutive sixes off left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel and playing a series of exquisite drives and sweeps.

Pant completed his 12th Test half-century in just 55 balls with a brilliant cover drive off Glenn Phillips, showcasing his controlled aggression. Along with Sarfaraz, he has already built a partnership of 175 runs off 205 balls.