Stats: Rishabh Pant surpasses Farokh Engineer’s tally of most 50+ Test scores scores Indian wicketkeeper-batter at home

In Test cricket at home, Rishabh Pant has surpassed the long-standing record held by veteran wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer for the most fifty-plus runs by an Indian wicketkeeper. Smashing his 11th fifty at Indian soil, the southpaw accomplished the mark on Day 3 of the ongoing third Test match between India and New Zealand at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.

Engineer, who began his career in the early 1960s and played in the mid-1970s, amassed 2,611 runs at an average of 31 and hit 10 fifty-plus runs during his home Test career. Engineer was a pivotal player in Indian cricket during his career, which ended in 1975, thanks to his aggressive batting style and reliable performances.

By breaking his 11th fifty-plus score, which includes six hundreds, Pant has eclipsed the feat. With an average of 43.54 and 2,569 runs in just 37 Test matches, the young player has established himself in this format of the game quite rapidly.

Famous captain MS Dhoni also tops the elite list with a total of 20 fifty-plus scores, including six hundreds. During his career, the former amassed 4,876 runs at an average of 38. In fewer than 65 innings, Pant exceeded both Dhoni (69 innings) and Engineer (82 innings) to become the fastest Indian wicketkeeper to reach 2,500 Test runs.

India’s pursuit at Wankhede features Rishabh Pant standing tall.

In both innings of the current Test match, Pant has scored fifty. He hit eight boundaries and two sixes in the first innings, scoring 60 runs off just 59 deliveries.

Also Read: Watch: Rishabh Pant trudges back to pavilion after controversial DRS dismissal

As India struggled at 29/5 and needed to win by 147 runs, Pant’s brilliant fifty helped the team climb back into the game and reach 92-6 at lunchtime, with 55 runs remaining.

Most 50+ scores for an Indian keeper batter at home in Tests