IND vs SL: Rishabh Pant smashes fastest half-century for India in Tests, displaces Kapil Dev

India’s wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant slammed the fastest fifty for an Indian batter in the history of Test on the second day of the second Pink-ball Test match against Sri Lanka at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. The swashbuckling batter surpassed the long-standing record held by the legendary Kapil Dev who registered the feat in 30 balls against Pakistan in 1982.

Coming in to bat at no. 5 in the second innings, Pant smashed 50 runs off just 31 deliveries with a staggering strike rate of 161.29, which included seven fours and two maximums. In the first innings as well, the destructive Pant played with a strike rate of 150.00 when he struck 39 runs off 26 balls.

Having made his debut in 2018, Pant has scored nine half-centuries and four centuries in the Test format. He has hammered 44 maximums in 30 matches in the longest format of the game, fourth-most by a designated wicketkeeper after Adam Gilchrist (100), MS Dhoni (78), and Brad Haddin (54).

Fastest Test fifties for India in Tests

Among the active wicketkeepers, Pant has struck the most sixes in Tests (44). South Africa’s Quinton de Kock is behind the power-hitter Indian Pant with 33 sixes to his name. Bangladesh’s Mushfiqur Rahim is third on the list for clearing the ropes 27 times in Test cricket. England duo of Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow have sent the balls to the stands 21 and 20 times respectively in Test cricket.

Rishabh Pant slams the joint-second fastest fifty in Tests played in India

Pant’s 28-ball 50 is the joint-second fastest fifty in Tests played in India. Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi holds the record for notching up a fifty in just 26 balls against India in Bangalore in 2005.

Pant is joint-second with England legend Ian Botham, who mustered a half-century in 28 balls against India in Delhi in 1981. Sri Lanka’s Arjuna Ranatunga is third in the chart for scoring a fifty in 31 balls in Kanpur in 1986. Former opener Virender Sehwag is fourth with his 32-ball fifty against England in 2008.

Among the Asians, Pant scored the fifty fastest half-centuries after Misbah-ul-Haq (21) against Australia in 2014, Shahid Afridi (26) against India in 2005, Mohammad Ashraful (26) against India in 2007, and Mohammad Yousuf (27) against South Africa in 2003.

Among the wicketkeepers, Pant now holds the world record for fastest Test fifty. New Zealand’s Ian Smith and India’s MS Dhoni both smashed a 34-ball fifty against Pakistan in 2006 and 1990, respectively. Notably, Pant also became the first player to score above 30 in both innings of a Test with a strike-rate of 150.00 or more.