Rishabh Pant fastest 50: The Indian wicket-keeper batter put on display an entertaining knock at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
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During the second day of the second Test of the ongoing Sri Lanka’s tour of India in Bengaluru, India wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant’s ninth Test half-century became a source of amazement for bountiful fans who were present at the M. Chinnaswamy stadium and many more watching from home.
Coming in to bat at No. 5 in the 34th over, Pant was perhaps looking to practice for the upcoming 15th season of the Indian Premier League. Facing Sri Lanka spinner Praveen Jayawickrama, Pant stepped out of the crease on his first delivery to hit a massive six over deep mid-wicket.
In the following over, Pant attacked Sri Lanka all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva to hit a four and a six as the spectators went berserk at the sight of such brave shot-making.
Former captain Virat Kohli (13) getting out in the next over had no impact whatsoever on Pant, who reverse-swept de Silva in the 37th over to collect another boundary. The next two overs witnessed Pant scoring three more boundaries against the spinners.
Rishabh Pant fastest 50 in Test cricket
As a result, Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne brought back fast bowler Suranga Lakmal into the attack only to see Pant stepping out to hit the first delivery for a cracking boundary through the covers.
It was in the 42nd over that Pant hit another boundary through the covers off Jayawickrama to bring up a 28-ball half-century on a Sunday evening. Pant, who hit seven fours and two sixes at a strike rate of 161.29, registered the fastest Test half-century by an Indian batter.
The frequency with which @RishabhPant17 produces such knocks is just incredible. Usually if a batter is mercurial he’s not consistent. But in Pant we’ve a mercurial batter who’s consistent. World beater! #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/qse2dY0zOz
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) March 13, 2022
However, it was in the same over that Pant mis-timed a Jayawickrama delivery as the bowler himself caught the ball to dismiss Pant for 50 (31).
List of fastest fifty in Test cricket by Indian batter
| Balls | Batters | Opposition | Ground | Year |
| 28 | Rishabh Pant | Sri Lanka | Bengaluru | 2022 |
| 30 | Kapil Dev | Pakistan | Karachi | 1982 |
| 31 | Shardul Thakur | England | The Oval | 2021 |
| 32 | Virender Sehwag | England | Chennai | 2008 |
