Rishabh Pant surpassed Wriddhiman Saha on Monday to become the India wicket-keeper to take the most number of catches in a Test match. Pant broke the record with his 11th catch dismissing Mitchell Starc behind the wickets on Day 5 of the first Test match against Australia in Adelaide where the hosts were victorious by 31 runs.
Overall, Pant is tied for the top spot with South Africa’s AB De Villiers (vs Pakistan in Johannesburg in 2013) and England’s Jack Russell (vs South Africa in Johannesburg in 2013) with all of them taking 11 catches.
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It was also a record for most number of catches taken in a Test as 35 out of the 40 batsmen were caught. The previous record was 34 dismissals during the match between South Africa and Australia in Cape Town (2018).
Most catches taken in a Test:
35 - Australia v India, Adelaide, 2018
34 - South Africa v Australia, Cape Town, 2018
33 - Australia v India, Perth, 1992
{{/usCountry}}33 - Australia v India, Perth, 1992
{{/usCountry}}Pant was at his chirpy best and it was Pat Cummins who was on the receiving of it on Day 5.
Indian bowlers got rid of the top-six Aussie batsmen before Lunch on the final day and as they were trying to break the budding partnership between Tim Paine and Pat Cummins, Pant tried to unsettle the latter with a few remarks from behind the stumps.
READ: Rishabh Pant gets under the skin of Pat Cummins in Adelaide Test
Pant’s chirping was caught by the stump mic and he was heard saying things like “C’mon Patty, c’mon Patty” and “it is not easy to bat here.” Another gem from Pant was to refer spinner Ravichandran Ashwin as ‘Ashley’.
Earlier, Pant created history as the youngster became the first Indian wicket-keeper to take six catches in a Test innings against Australia. Pant was involved in six dismissals during the first Test match in Adelaide.