NEW DELHI: India vice-captain Rishabh Pant lit up Lord’s with a record-breaking innings on Day 3 of the third Test against England, etching his name in the history books with a tenacious and fearless display of batting.Pant shattered multiple records during his knock, most notably surpassing the legendary Vivian Richards for the most sixes hit against England in Test cricket. The explosive southpaw now has 35 sixes against England, eclipsing Richards’ tally of 34.
He also drew level with former India Test captain Rohit Sharma for the second-most sixes by an Indian in the longest format, both now sitting on 88. Remarkably, Pant reached the milestone in just 46 Tests—21 fewer than Rohit’s 67—and is now just two sixes short of equaling Virender Sehwag’s all-time India record of 90.The 27-year-old’s exploits didn’t stop there. Pant also overtook MS Dhoni’s long-standing record for the most runs by an Indian wicketkeeper in a Test series in England. With 416 runs in three matches so far, he became the first visiting wicketkeeper to score over 400 runs in a single Test series on English soil. Dhoni had amassed 349 runs on the 2014 tour.
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What made Pant’s innings even more impressive was the grit with which he played through pain. Despite nursing a finger injury sustained on Day 1, he batted with courage and flair, absorbing blows while playing his natural attacking game. His 74 off 112 balls included two towering sixes, one of which helped him surpass Richards’ record.Pant’s counterpunching innings ended on the final ball before lunch. Attempting a quick single, he hesitated at the non-striker’s end and was run out by a moment of brilliance from England captain Ben Stokes, who swooped in from cover, collected the ball, and hit the stumps at the bowler’s end in one swift motion.
Most sixes in Tests vs England
| Rank | Player | Sixes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rishabh Pant | 35 |
| 2 | Viv Richards | 34 |
| 3 | Tim Southee | 30 |
| 4 | Yashasvi Jaiswal | 27 |
| 5 | Shubman Gill | 26 |
Pant’s 50+ scores in Tests in England
- Total 50+ scores: 8
- Innings played: 22
- Equals record for most 50+ scores by a designated visiting wicketkeeper in England
- Joint-most with: MS Dhoni (8 in 23 innings)
Rishabh Pant – Last 8 Test scores in England
| Innings No. | Score |
|---|---|
| 1 | 50 |
| 2 | 146 |
| 3 | 57 |
| 4 | 134 |
| 5 | 118 |
| 6 | 25 |
| 7 | 65 |
| 8 | 74 |
