IND vs AUS, 4th Test: Rishabh Pant Breaks MS Dhoni’s Record, Becomes Fastest Indian Wicketkeeper to 1,000 Test Runs

MS Dhoni took 32 innings to score 1,000 runs in Tests while Rishabh Pant has taken just 27 innings to do that.

Rishabh Pant on Tuesday became the fastest Indian wicketkeeper-batsman to score 1,000 runs in Test cricket, surpassing the previous record of the legendary MS Dhoni. Pant reached the milestone during the second session of the fourth Test between India and Australia in Brisbane’s Gabba.

Pant has long been earmarked as the successor to former captain Dhoni but his inconsistency with the bat has meant he’s not a regular in India squads across formats despite once being confirmed as the team’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman. However, in the ongoing tour of Australia, he has impressed with his attacking 97 in the drawn Sydney Test.

Dhoni took 32 innings to score 1,000 runs in Tests while Pant has taken just 27 innings to do that.

So far, Pant has represented India in 15 Tests, hitting two centuries and three fifties including a best of 159 not out. He has also played 16 ODIs and 28 T20Is, scoring a combined 784 runs across the two formats.

On the other hand, Dhoni played 90 Tests, scoring 4876 runs including six centuries and 33 fifties including a best of 224. In 350 ODIs, he scored 10773 runs at 50.57 with the help of 10 centuries and 73 fifties.

In 98 T20Is, Dhoni gathered 1617 runs including two half-centuries. He is widely regarded as one of the finest captains to have played the game and the record shows he’s the most successful Indian skipper having led them to three ICC titles in T20 World Cup, ODI World Cup and Champions Trophy during a storied career.

Pant has a tough competition in Wriddhiman Saha when it comes to Test cricket but with age on his side, the youngster will be hoping to make the wicketkeeper’s spot his own in the coming years.

In limited-overs cricket also, India have now a handy option in KL Rahul who has done a more than decent job behind the stumps. However, considering the immense potential of Pant, provided he brings some consistency to his batting, it won’t be too long before he becomes a regular feature in white-ball cricket as well.