Bengaluru, March 13 (Agency) Rishabh Pant broke former World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev’s record by hitting the fastest fifty by an Indian in Test cricket. Pant surpassed Kapil’s record in just 28 balls as he dictated terms to Sri Lankan bowlers by smashing 7 boundaries and 2 sixes at M Chinnaswamy stadium. The great allrounder had cracked his fifty in 30 balls against Pakistan in Karachi played in 1982, which India lost after following on.
Shardul Thakur and Virender Sehwag are behind Pant and Kapil Dev in order. Shardul had scored his fifty in 31 balls against England in London in 2021, while Sehwag notched his off 32 balls against the same side in Chennai in 2008. Pant also became the first Indian to score 30-plus in both the innings of a match at a strike rate of over 150. His 39 in the first innings came off 26 balls with a strike rate of 150 and 30 came off in 31 balls at the strike rate of 161.29 in the second innings. Pant’s quickfire 50 made sure India reached 199 for 5 at dinner, stretching their lead to 342 runs in the pink-ball Test.