India and Sri Lanka are currently facing each other in the 2nd Test match at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore. India took a massive lead of 143 runs in the first innings, thanks to a 92-run knock from Shreyas Iyer and then a fifer from Jasprit Bumrah.
In the second innings, wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant was in his full swing as he played a quickfire innings on Day 2 of the day-night Test. Pant registered his name in the record books by scoring the fastest fifty in Test Cricket by an Indian.
Rishabh Pant broke legend Kapil Dev’s record (30 balls) to reach his half-century in 28 deliveries. Pant’s knock was laced with 7 fours and 2 maximums. The brave performance from the 24-year old on a tough pitch is receiving high praise from the cricketing fraternity.
Here is how twitter reacted to Rishabh Pant’s half-century:
Rishabh Pant now holds the record of hitting most sixes in Test cricket since his debut.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 13, 2022
History by Rishabh Pant – becomes the fastest Indian to score a Test fifty, in just 28 balls. Surpasses Kapil Dev's record of 30 balls. pic.twitter.com/2RkLlgFQRH
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 13, 2022
There's Test format, ODI format, T20I format… 🏏
And then there's Rishabh Pant 💥
📸: BCCI | #INDvSL #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/xox0Y04JbT
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) March 13, 2022
Rishabh Pant is bringing a new revolution in test format pic.twitter.com/UcSvjoT2bE
— Shivani (@meme_ki_diwani) March 13, 2022
Rishabh Pant on a Bengaluru pitch where it was difficult to buy runs:
89 runs in 56 balls at a Strike Rate of 158.92.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 13, 2022
Fastest 50 by an Indian test match history. Well played Rishabh pant 👏
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) March 13, 2022
#RishabhPant is an outrageous, exhilarating risk-taker
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) March 13, 2022
We are perhaps entering the Rishabh Pant era in Indian cricket.
— Bharath Ramaraj (@Fancricket12) March 13, 2022
Fastest fifty by a wicketkeeper in Test cricket:
28 balls – Rishabh Pant 🇮🇳 v SL, today
34 balls – Ian Smith 🇳🇿 v PAK, 1990
34 balls – MS Dhoni 🇮🇳 v PAK, 2006#INDvSL— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) March 13, 2022
The frequency with which @RishabhPant17 produces such knocks is just incredible. Usually if a batter is mercurial he's not consistent. But in Pant we've a mercurial batter who's consistent. World beater! #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/qse2dY0zOz
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) March 13, 2022
Rishabh Pant about T20 and Test Cricket: pic.twitter.com/nPGEsjdREz
— Rario (@rariohq) March 13, 2022
Well played @RishabhPant17 🇮🇳🚀🙌 pic.twitter.com/GvgDXVFymg
— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) March 13, 2022
https://twitter.com/ADSutherland_/status/1502976316668358656?s=20&t=wqJsgAfYVOn3_eQzGYSf5w
This is Rishabh Pant's decade 💖
— Shivani (@meme_ki_diwani) March 13, 2022
https://twitter.com/smileandraja/status/1502982554265296898?s=20&t=wqJsgAfYVOn3_eQzGYSf5w
https://twitter.com/wildcardgyan/status/1502979759516520452?s=20&t=wqJsgAfYVOn3_eQzGYSf5w
You know Rishabh Pant is a special player when umpires are warning him for batting too down and on danger area on the surface. 🤷♂️
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) March 13, 2022
Rishabh Pant has now aggregated 80+ runs in this match at a SR of 160+.
No one has scored more runs in a Test match at a higher strike rate (where number of balls faced was recorded).
— Naman Agarwal (@CoverDrivenFor4) March 13, 2022
Rishabh Pant plays against the laws of Cricket. Format, pitch, the opposition doesn't matter when he comes to bat.
The most fearless batter I've seen after Virender Sehwag!
— Shivani Shukla (@iShivani_Shukla) March 13, 2022
Rishabh Pant is the Adam Gilchrist many thought other keepers would be.
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) March 13, 2022
Rishabh Pant has 200 fours and 44 sixes in Test cricket – he is just 24 years old.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) March 13, 2022
Out of the stadium! Box office Pant 🏟️😍😍! #INDvSL #RishabhPant #BengaluruTest #PinkBallTest pic.twitter.com/L6AfGvPFWA
— Rishab Pant Telugu FC – #RoarMacha (@nagpurmirchi) March 13, 2022
Speaking of the second innings, Mayank Agarwal and captain Rohit Sharma got India off to a flying start adding 42 runs for the 1st wicket before Lasith Embuldeniya got the better of Mayank Agarwal.
However, Rohit continued to dispatch the poor deliveries while Hanuma Vihari adopted a cautious approach at the other end. Just when things were looking bright for India, Rohit holed out to Angelo Mathews at the long on, four short of a half-century.
Vihari also followed the suit before Virat Kohli was trapped yet again in a similar fashion like the first innings, before Rishabh Pant launched a carnage to take India’s total to almost 350.
At dinner on day 2, the hosts are at 199/5, with Shreyas Iyer and Ravindra Jadeja in the middle.
Get the latest cricket news here and like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.