Rishabh Pant's name is in the record books yet again. This feat was scripted on the second day of the Lord's Test. He had an injury on his finger, and he could not keep wicket. But as soon as the 27-year-old held the bat, the same old Pant returned. England's bowlers were helpless. The spectators who were thinking that the injury would be a setback kept watching.
Leaving MS Dhoni behind is not an easy task, but Pant did it yet again. His score in the current series against England has now reached 361 runs. In 2014, Dhoni scored 349 runs in England. Then everyone believed that no other Indian wicketkeeper would be able to score so many runs, but Pant broke that wall too. He has done this before as well - 350 runs in Australia, then 349 in England. Now this new leap has made it clear that Pant is competing with himself.
Just think, he has six more innings left in this series. If he continues like this, then Denis Lindsay's record of 606 runs will also be in danger. Before Pant, no wicketkeeper from Asia had such good numbers in the SENA countries. Farooq Engineer's old record, Dhoni's prowess - everything is being left behind.
It is also worth noting that Pant does not fight only with the bat on the field. Even if he is injured, his face and attitude are the same. Making the bowler dance to his tune, hitting fours and sixes, all this has become his habit. His partnership with KL Rahul supported the team. Rahul brought patience, and Pant boosted the morale with his attacking approach. The Indian Cricket Team will be hoping that the partnership continues long in the third day.
Hardly anyone has played such a big role as a wicketkeeper-batsman in Test cricket. During Dhoni's time, people thought that he had changed the boundaries. Now Pant is taking it to new heights. The interesting thing is that Pant's batting keeps the fans engaged. The 27-year-old has got the defensive technique, and also the shots to counter-attack. That is why he has scored as many centuries as legends like Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar. Dravid has six centuries in England, and Pant now has four.
Most Runs by Asian Wicket-keepers in a SENA Test Series:
- 361 runs* — Rishabh Pant vs England, 2025*
- 350 runs — Rishabh Pant vs Australia, 2018
- 349 runs — MS Dhoni vs England, 2014
- 349 runs — Rishabh Pant vs England, 2021
- 321 runs — Farokh Engineer vs New Zealand, 1968
