Rishabh Pant is on the cusp of surpassing a significant Test record held by Virat Kohli during the ongoing India vs. England series. The dynamic wicketkeeper-batsman has been in sensational form, and is now aiming to achieve another milestone at Edgbaston.
In the recent Test match at Headingley, Leeds, Pant smashed twin centuries, catapulting himself into the elite list of Indian cricketers. He became only the second wicketkeeper-batter in history to achieve this feat, following Andy Flower. Pant also became the first Indian to score hundreds in both innings of a Test in England. These performances have pushed him to a career-high seventh position in the ICC Test rankings, with 801 rating points, surpassing MS Dhoni's previous record for an Indian wicketkeeper.
Virat Kohli currently holds the record for the third-most centuries against England in Test cricket, with five. Pant has equaled this number and is now in a position to overtake Kohli. If Pant manages to score a century in the upcoming Test at Edgbaston, he will surpass Kohli and join Mohammad Azharuddin, who has six Test centuries against England. The overall record for most Test centuries against England is held by Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, with seven each.
Pant has already broken MS Dhoni's record to become the Indian wicket-keeper with the most Test hundreds. He has eight centuries in 44 Test matches, with four of those coming in England. His aggressive batting style and ability to score quickly have made him a valuable asset to the Indian team. He also holds the record for the fastest fifty by an Indian in Test cricket, reaching the milestone in just 28 balls against Sri Lanka in 2022.
Kohli, who recently retired from Test cricket after an illustrious 14-year career, has a record of 9,230 runs in 123 matches, including 30 centuries. He is regarded as one of the greatest Test captains India has ever had, leading the team to 40 wins in 68 matches and holding the top spot in the ICC Test rankings for five consecutive years.
As India prepares to face England in the second Test at Edgbaston, all eyes will be on Rishabh Pant as he aims to surpass Virat Kohli's record and further cement his place in Indian cricket history. The Indian team is looking to bounce back after a loss in the first Test, and Pant's contributions will be crucial to their chances of leveling the series.
