On the fourth day of the first Test match against New Zealand, Rishabh Pant made history by being the first Indian wicketkeeper to reach 2500 Test runs at M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Pant broke the previous record held by former captain MS Dhoni, who reached the milestone in 69 innings, by reaching it in only 62 innings. The previous record, held by Farokh Engineer, another renowned figure in Indian cricket, was 82 innings.

Pant’s outstanding performance occurred during India’s valiant comeback, which saw them reach 344/3 as rain forced an early lunch. India trail New Zealand’s 469-run first-inning total by only 12 runs. Along with Sarfaraz Khan, who achieved his first Test century, Pant’s aggressive innings of 53 off 56 balls were important in India’s comeback.

With Pant and Sarfaraz entrusted with leading India closer to the objective, India began Day 4 at 231/3. On Day 3, Pant sustained a knee injury during keeping, but he showed no symptoms of pain as he seized command in his signature aggressive manner. Following a cautious opening, he counterattacked, hitting left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel for two sixes in quick succession and then elegantly driving and sweeping his way to victory.

With a magnificent cover drive off Glenn Phillips, Pant reached his 12th Test fifty in 55 balls. This stroke displayed his disciplined aggressiveness. His 113 runs in 22 overs combination with Sarfaraz helped India overcome an early stutter and set themselves up for a possible lead.

With a brilliant century in only his fifth Test match, Sarfaraz took center stage, but Pant’s role in steadiing the innings was just as important. Since making his Test debut in 2018, the 26-year-old wicketkeeper-batter has established himself as a mainstay of India’s side. He has scored multiple match-winning runs in foreign conditions, including two standout performances in Australia and England.