Rishabh Pant gets past 2,000 Test runs: Key stats
India's Rishabh Pant smacked a 111-ball 146 on Day 1 of the rescheduled Test against England at Edgbaston. He racked up 20 fours and four sixes in his Test-cum-T20 innings. He was instrumental in a monumental 222-run stand alongside Ravindra Jadeja which propelled India to 338/7 by stumps. Pant also breached the 2,000-run mark in Tests. We decode his Test stats.
Why does this story matter?
Pant came all guns blazing at the Englishmen. The 24-year-old notched his fourth away hundred, proving his mettle as a clutch-performer overseas. As per Cricmetric, Pant obliterated Jack Leach, bashing the spinner for 59 runs off 32 deliveries. He got on the nerves of Matty Potts too. 2,000 Test runs is a small milestone compared to what lies ahead for Pant.
Pant clocks truckload of records
Pant (24y) has become the youngest wicket-keeper batter to score 2,000 Test runs. His 89-ball century is now the fastest ton by an Indian wicket-keeper in the longest format. The hard-hitter has bettered the previously held record of MS Dhoni (93-ball hundred vs Pakistan, 2006). The 222-run stand between Pant and Jadeja is India's joint-seventh-highest partnership in Tests against England.
A look at Pant's Test career
Pant has smashed 2,066 runs across 31 Tests. He averages a stellar 43.04. He has clobbered five hundreds and nine fifties. At home, Pant has compiled 639 runs in eight Tests, averaging a jaw-dropping 63.90. In away conditions, the southpaw has bashed 1,382 runs in 22 Tests (four hundreds, three fifties). Pant has 45 runs from a lone outing played at a neutral venue.
Pant accomplishes a massive feat in SENA
Pant's heroics saw him race to 1,324 Test runs in SENA nations (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia). As per cricket statistician Abhishek Mukherjee, Pant has surpassed Javed Miandad (1,088) in terms of most runs by an Asian batter in SENA countries before turning 25. Notably, he is next only to batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar (1,882) in this regard.
Notable feats attained by Pant
As per Cricbuzz, Pant is the first Indian wicket-keeper to slam four Test centuries outside Asia. The other keepers to slam a century outside Asia are Vijay Manjrekar, Ajay Ratra, and Wriddhiman Saha (1 each). Pant has become the fourth Indian keeper to slam two Test tons in a calendar year after Budhi Kunderan in 1964, Dhoni in 2009, and Saha in 2017.
Pant's whirlwind knock unlocks a special record
Pant has now become the third-fastest Indian to slam a century outside Asia. The record is held by Virender Sehwag (78 balls) versus WI in Gros Islet, 2006. Mohammad Azharuddin scored his century in 88 balls versus England at Lord's in 1990.
How did Day 1 pan out?
India got off to a positive start before Shubman Gill played a poor shot to gift his wicket away. Cheteshwar Pujara looked solid before perishing for 13. Hanuma Vihari got a start but was dismissed for 20. Virat Kohli (11) and Shreyas Iyer (15) departed cheaply. Thereafter, Pant and Ravindra Jadeja played a positive brand of cricket to get India back into the game.
