Five facts about Rishabh Pant we bet you don't know
Rishabh Pant suffered a blow to his right foot while playing a reverse-sweep off Chris Woakes on day 1 of the fourth Test match against England at the Old Trafford stadium. Later, the scans revealed a fracture on his toe, and it required a minimum of six weeks to recover. Pant surprised everyone when he walked out to bat on day 2 despite suffering from pain. His entry was met with a standing ovation, and why not?
He not only came to resume his innings but also reached his half-century and helped his team reach past the 350-mark. With his team needing him, Pant walked out, keeping the thought of aggravating the injury behind him. He is an ideal successor to MS Dhoni, who himself is known for his strength and power. An out-and-out entertainer, Rishabh Pant is increasing his fan base with every Test innings. His teammates and some former cricketers would often advise him to add some caution with his approach, and Pant had to time and again convince them his approach isn’t just all about bang-bang. While his shots are unconventional, he has a method to do it.
Having played 46 Tests for India, Rishabh Pant has managed to score 3373 runs at an average of 44.38 and is on course to create a legacy for himself as India’s greatest Test wicket-keeper batter.
In this article, let’s take a look at five unknown facts about Rishabh Pant:
1. Rishabh Pant started his Test cricket career with a six
Not a lot of people know this, but Rishabh Pant began his Test cricket career by smashing a six on the second ball of his maiden Test innings. He made his Test debut for India on the 2018 tour of England in the third Test at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. On the second ball of his innings, he smacked a six over long-on off Adil Rashid, thereby becoming only the 12th player overall to do so. He scored 24 runs off 51 balls in his maiden Test innings.
2. The only Asian Wicket-keeper batter to hit 100s in Australia and England
Rishabh Pant not only has a great record in Asia but also in the SENA countries. Pant has 879 runs in 12 Tests in Australia, including one century. He recently crossed the 1000-run mark in England, which includes as many as four centuries and five half-centuries. Rishabh Pant is, in fact, the only Asian wicket-keeper batter to hit 100s in Australia and England.
3. Rishabh Pant has played for Rajasthan
Early in his career, Rishabh Pant moved to Rajasthan on the advice of his childhood coach Tarak Sinha. He represented the state team at the U-13 and U-15 levels but found little success. He faced discrimination in Rajasthan, labelling him as an outsider, and thus, moved back to Delhi. He began playing first-class cricket for Delhi at the age of 15.
4. Vice-captain in the Under-19 World Cup 2016
Rishabh Pant was the vice-captain of the Under-19 team in the 2016 Under-19 World Cup. India were unbeaten throughout the campaign but suffered a five-wicket defeat in the final against the West Indies Under-19 team. Pant finished as the second-highest run-scorer for the team with 267 runs in six games at 44.50.
5. Youngest to score a century for Delhi Capitals
Rishabh Pant is the youngest to score a century for Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League. He achieved the feat at just 20 years and 218 days in the 2018 edition. Turning up for the Capitals, Pant played a blistering knock of 128 off 63 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Pant made his IPL debut for Delhi Daredevils in 2016 at the age of 18. Rishabh Pant's tenure with the Delhi Capitals concluded in October 2024 when the franchise opted not to retain him ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.
