Explosive Indian batter Rishabh Pant lit up the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Day 2 of the ongoing second Test against Sri Lanka. The wicketkeeper-batter took Sri Lanka bowlers to the cleaners right from the word go and went on to create a breathtaking record.
Pant smashed a blistering half-century off just 28 deliveries to register the fastest Test fifty by an Indian. The 24-year-old broke legendary Kapil Dev’s record which the former World Cup-winning captain created in 1982 against Pakistan in Karachi.
Although, Pant got out right after reaching his fifty, but he entertained one and all with his sensational batting. During his 31-ball 50, Pant smashed seven fours and two humungous sixes.
Fastest fifties for India in Test cricket (balls faced)
- 28 – Rishabh Pant vs Sri Lanka- Bengaluru 2022
- 30 – Kapil Dev vs Pakistan- Karachi 1982
- 31 – Shardul Thakur vs England- Oval 2021
- 32 – Virender Sehwag vs England- Chennai 2008
Fastest Test fifties on Indian soil (balls faced)
- 26 – Shahid Afridi vs India- 2005
- 28 – Ian Botham vs India- 1981
- 28 – Rishabh Pant vs Sri Lanka- 2022
- 31 – Arjun Ranatunga vs India- 1986
Earlier, India gained a 143-run first-innings lead after bundling out Sri Lanka for just 109 runs, with Jasprit Bumrah taking his maiden five-wicket haul in India.
On the opening day, Rohit Sharma & Co. posted 252 on the board, thanks to Shreyas Iyer, who top-scored with a brilliant 92. It was indeed a crucial knock by Iyer on such a challenging track, and he also acknowledged it stating he celebrated his fifty like a century.
“I personally felt that fifty was like a century. That’s why I celebrated like that. It was like a century feeling for me. You saw the players who defended the ball, there was a lot of chance of nicking, and there was variable bounce on that wicket. You can’t just play very negatively on that wicket and just keep defending the ball. You’ve got to have that positive intent when you step out on the field. The wicket is not that great. It’s obviously bowler-friendly,” Iyer had said after the end of first day’s play.
