Rishabh Pant records fastest Test century by an Indian wicketkeeper-batter

During the first innings of the ongoing Birmingham Test, when the visitors India were deeply struggling, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja played massive roles with their strong bats to guide the away team to a strong total. In that innings, Pant recorded the fastest Test century by an Indian wicketkeeper-batter.

Currently, England are hosting India in the much-awaited rescheduled fifth or final Test match of the series at Birmingham, which is also a part of the 2021-23 ICC World Test Championship.

After England sent India to bat first, the visitors were struggling on 98/5. But the wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja played excellent roles to put the visitors in a strong position. Pant and Jadeja had a crucial 220 runs partnership for the sixth wicket. While the left-handed batter Pant scored 146 runs off 111 balls (19 fours and 4 sixes), the left-handed batter Jadeja later scored 104 runs off 194 balls (13 fours).

Rishabh Pant scored an 89-ball century

The 24-year-old Pant completed his fifth Test century in just 89 balls. It was the fifth-fastest Test century by an Indian cricketer outside the home.

Also Read | Top 5 Players with Fastest Half Centuries in Test cricket history

Fastest centuries by the Indians outside the home

So, Pant became the second-fastest Indian cricketer to hit a Test century in England. Mohammad Azharuddin is holding the record for the fastest Test century for an Indian in England with an 87-ball century during the 1990 Lord’s Test.

Also, Pant is now holding the record for fastest Test century by an Indian wicketkeeper-batter. MS Dhoni was the previous record holder in this list with a 93-ball century against Pakistan at Faisalabad in January 2006.

Rishabh Pant scored his fifth overall Test century and fourth Test century outside the home

As a wicketkeeper-batter, Rishabh Pant has now scored five Test centuries. Only MS Dhoni (six Test centuries) has scored more Test centuries as an Indian wicketkeeper-batter than Pant.

Indian wicketkeeper-batters with most Test centuries

Out of his five Test centuries, Pant has scored four centuries outside the home. While he is the first Indian wicketkeeper-batter to hit more than one Test century outside home venues, he is now in the joint fourth position in the list of most Test centuries by wicketkeeper-batters outside the home.

Wicketkeeper-batters with most Test centuries outside the home

Pant and Jadeja’s 222-run partnership

Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja also had a partnership of 222 runs for the sixth wicket. It is India’s joint-highest sixth or lower wicket partnership in a Test innings outside the home. Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharuddin also had a 222-run partnership for the sixth wicket against South Africa during the 1997 Cape Town Test. 

Also Read | Jasprit Bumrah smashes most runs in an over in Test cricket to Stuart Broad