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NEW DELHI: Rishabh Pant continued his remarkable rise through India’s Test record books on Monday, surpassing captain Shubman Gill to become the country’s highest run-scorer in ICC World Test Championship history. Pant was unbeaten on 63 at lunch on the second day of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo as India reached 419/6.Pant now has 2,948 runs from 42 Tests in the World Test Championship, moving ahead of Gill’s 2,917 from the same number of matches. Rohit Sharma is third among Indian batters with 2,716 runs from 40 Tests, followed by Ravindra Jadeja (2,675 from 50) and Virat Kohli (2,617 from 46). Among current Indian players, Yashasvi Jaiswal is next with 2,588 runs from 30 Tests.The latest milestone came during a crucial partnership with Dhruv Jurel, who also reached his half-century. The pair had added an unbeaten 112 runs for the seventh wicket by lunch, helping India build a commanding first-innings total after losing six wickets.
Pant adds another record to his name
Pant’s latest achievement came on the back of another significant milestone earlier in the innings. The wicketkeeper-batter also moved past MS Dhoni to become India’s highest run-scorer as a designated wicketkeeper in away or neutral Tests.Pant crossed 2,500 runs in the category, edging beyond Dhoni’s 2,496. He has done so at an average of almost 42, compared with Dhoni’s 32.84.Farokh Engineer is third on the list with 1,209 runs at an average of 32.67, while Syed Kirmani has 1,109 at 21.74 and Kiran More 901 at 29.06.Pant’s latest landmarks have come despite an injury scare on the opening day. He had retired hurt after being struck on the left arm by a short delivery from Sri Lanka pacer Lahiru Kumara, having scored only three runs.
India build imposing position in Colombo
Pant returned on Day 2 after Sri Lanka dismissed debutant Saransh Jain for six and immediately helped India regain control alongside Jurel. The pair negotiated Sri Lanka’s pace attack and took India beyond 400 before the lunch interval.The total of 419/6 is only the 11th time a team has posted 400 or more in the first innings of a Test at this venue. Six of the previous 10 instances resulted in victories, while four ended in draws.The century partnership between Pant and Jurel is also only the second time India have registered a 100-plus stand for the seventh wicket or lower in a Test in Sri Lanka. The previous instance came at the same venue in 2015, when Cheteshwar Pujara and Amit Mishra added 104.
