Overview:

Rishabh Pant surpassed MS Dhoni’s 1,731 runs from 32 red-ball games, becoming the highest-scoring Asian wicketkeeper-batter in SENA countries.

Rishabh Pant made a remarkable achievement on Friday at Headingley, surpassing MS Dhoni to become the most successful Asian wicketkeeper-batter in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) countries. At 26 years, Pant achieved this milestone after scoring an undefeated 65 on Day 1 of the opening Test against England.

This knock also pushed Pant past 3,000 runs in Test cricket, making him the second Indian wicketkeeper to do so after Dhoni. He reached this landmark in just 76 innings, the second-fastest ever for a wicketkeeper-batter, trailing only Australia’s Adam Gilchrist, who achieved the feat in 63 innings.

Pant has accumulated 1,746 runs in SENA countries from 27 matches, averaging 38.80, with four centuries and six half-centuries to his name. In doing so, he overtook Dhoni’s total of 1,731 runs from 32 games, claiming the title of the highest-scoring Asian wicketkeeper-batter in these countries.

Known for his aggressive playing style, Pant displayed a new level of composure and maturity at Leeds. Pant scored 65 runs from 102 balls, including six fours and two sixes, as he partnered with captain Shubman Gill in a 138-run unbroken stand. At the close of Day 1, India posted 359 for 3, setting a new record for their highest first-day score in a Test match in England.

Earlier in the innings, Yashasvi Jaiswal set a solid foundation with an elegant 101 from 159 balls, striking 16 boundaries and one six. In his captaincy debut in Test cricket, Gill played a composed and confident knock of 127*.

KL Rahul contributed a steady 42 before being dismissed just before lunch. Despite the overcast skies and a pitch favouring seamers, England’s decision to bowl first backfired.

Ben Stokes removed debutant Sai Sudharsan for a duck just before lunch, but that was England’s only success. After the break, Jaiswal and Gill steadied the innings, with Jaiswal scoring his fifth Test century, followed by Gill’s stylish ton.

India’s dominant Day 1 performance, with centuries from Jaiswal and Gill and Pant’s milestone knock, put them firmly in control at Headingley.