Rishabh Pant has demonstrated a return to his peak form. He has equaled former India captain MS Dhoni in terms of Test centuries by an Indian wicket-keeper batter. This was Pant’s seventh Test century, and his fourth against England. On the third day of the first Test, Rishabh Pant took a valuable catch, adding himself to an elite group of Indian wicketkeeper-batters with 150 Test catches.
Pant joins Dhoni and Kirmani as the only wicketkeepers to reach this milestone. Pant reached 150 catches in 44 matches, while Dhoni took 90 matches for 256 catches and Kirmani had 160 catches in 88 games. Pant outshined MS Dhoni at Leeds Test, reaching his seventh century. This was his initial century after September 2024. He hit a six on the first ball of the 100th over of the first India innings.
Dhoni scored 4,876 runs with 6 tons and 33 fifties in 90 Tests at an average of 38.09. Pant scored 134 in 134 balls (12-4; 6-6), 3000 runs in this inning, and 15 fifties in 44 Tests, averaging almost 44. Wriddhiman Saha, Syed Kirmani, Farokh Engineer and Nayan Mongia are also notable Indian wicketkeepers.