In a rather bowler dominated Test match, Rishabh Pant’s edge of the seat batting on Day 2 of the ongoing pink-ball Test between India and Sri Lanka took the Bengaluru crowd on a joyride. Pant smashed 50 off 28 balls in India’s second innings at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. It is the fastest fifty by an Indian cricketer. Pant broke former India all-rounder Kapil Dev’s record of 30-ball fifty against Pakistan in the 1982 Karachi Test.

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Pant smashed two sixes and seven boundaries to decorate his whirlwind knock. The southpaw went after the Sri Lankan bowlers from the very onset of his innings on a pitch where both pacers and spinners are getting assistance but batters are struggling. Pant was caught and bowled by left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrama soon after completing his fifty.

Fastest Test fifties by Indian batters

Rishabh Pant – 50 off 28 balls vs Sri Lanka in Bengaluru in 2022

Kapil Dev – 50 off 30 balls vs Pakistan in Karachi in 1982

Shardul Thakur – 50 off 31 balls vs England in London in 2021

Virender Sehwag – 50 off 32 balls vs England in Chennai in 2008

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Pant, who is known for his destructive batting, decided to take on the Sri Lankan bowlers to rattle them, knowing that defending on this pitch would not help India’s cause. Pant began his knock by dancing down the wicket and smashing one into the mid-wicket stands, making his intentions clear.

He played late cut, reverse sweeps and stepped out to hit Sri Lankan spinners against the spin in a bid to showcase his range in front of a packed crowd in Bengaluru.

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Earlier in the day, Virat Kohli got out to another low-kept delivery as he looked frustrated after getting LBW to Pravin Jayawickrama. Rohit Sharma and Hanuma Vihari stitched a 55-run stand after India lost Mayank Agarwal early.

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After Pant, it was Shreyas Iyer, who scored 92 off 98 balls in the first innings, batted with the same approach and got the result. He scored 67 off 87 balls as India declared their second innings on 303 for 9.

India set 447 runs target for Sri Lanka to win the Test and eventually the series 2-0.