5 Records Rishabh Pant owns in first-class cricket

Rishabh Pant is currently one of the finest wicket-keeper batsmen in international cricket. Though he was labelled as the limited-overs specialist at the start. But he got his chance at the highest level first in the Test cricket during the England tour and Pant hasn’t looked back since then.

With Wriddhiman Saha injured and Dinesh Karthik not performing well, Pant became the preferred option behind the wickets and he didn’t disappoint. But the southpaw has somehow not managed to replicate a similar kind of success in the ODIs and T20Is. However, Rishabh Pant has already owned a few records in the longest format of the game, in the domestic and international arena.

Here we have a look at Pant’s records in the longest format including Test cricket and first-class matches:

1. Third youngest to Score a triple century in Ranji Trophy

In 2016-17 Ranji season Pant scored 308 off just 326 balls against Maharashtra. His innings was studded with 42 fours and 9 sixes. He became the third-youngest Indian to score a first-class triple century, after Wasim Jaffer and Abhinav Mukund, as well as the second wicketkeeper to score a triple ton in the Ranji Trophy. He was also the fourth-youngest overall to cross the 300-run mark in the first-class cricket.

2. Fastest century in Ranji Trophy

Rishabh Pant created history by scoring the fastest century in Ranji Trophy ever. He thrashed 100 runs in 48 balls in Delhi’s second innings against Jharkhand at the St Xavier’s KCA Cricket Ground in Trivandrum. This was one of the fastest hundreds by an Indian batsman in first-class cricket. Two batsmen have scored a century off 56 balls: Rajesh Borah in 1987-88 and VB Chandrasekhar in 1988-89 and Pant went past them comfortably.

3. First Indian wicket-keeper batsman to hit a hundred in Australia and England

Rishabh Pant made his Test debut against England on 18 August 2018. He became the first batsman for India to get off the mark in Test cricket with a six. On 11 September 2018, he scored his maiden Test century, against England. He became the second-youngest and the first Indian wicket-keeper to do so in England. He made 114 off 146 balls including 15 boundaries and 4 sixes.

In January 2019, during the fourth Test against Australia, Pant became the first wicket-keeper from India to score a ton in a Test match in Australia. He made 159 off 189 balls including 15 boundaries and a six. This was his second Test hundred as well.

4. Most dismissals in a Test match by an Indian wicket-keeper

In December 2018, during the first Test against Australia, Pant took eleven catches, the most by a wicket-keeper for India in a Test match. He currently holds the record for most catches among active international players. He had equalled the world record for most catches in a Test by a wicket-keeper. RC Russel and AB de Villiers both took 11 catches in a Test match while standing behind the stumps.

5. Fastest Indian to 50 dismissals as a wicket-keeper in Test cricket

In September 2019, during the second Test against the West Indies, Rishabh Pant became the fastest Indian wicket-keeper to claim 50 dismissals in Test cricket, surpassing former India captain MS Dhoni. He claimed his 50th victim in his 11th Test while Dhoni had taken 15 Tests to touch the milestone.

~Written by Sujoy Barg