TIL Desk Sports/ Rishabh Pant became the first Indian wicketkeeper-batter to score a Test ton in South Africa during India’s second innings in the third Test at Newlands Cricket Ground on Thursday. He has also become the first wicketkeeper-batter from Asia to get a Test hundred in South Africa.
Pant waged a lone battle on a pitch which was difficult for batters to score his fourth Test hundred. To put his high-quality century into context, no other Indian batter managed to get a score past 30 in the second innings.
With his unbeaten 100 off 133 balls, Pant is now the only Indian wicketkeeper-batter to get Test hundreds in England, Australia and now South Africa. Before his high-quality knock, former captain MS Dhoni’s 90 at Centurion in 2010/11 tour was the highest individual score by an Indian wicketkeeper in South Africa.
Pant came to the crease with India struggling at 58/4. He joined forces with Virat Kohli to put up a crucial stand of 94 for the fifth wicket. Whenever the loose balls were on offer, Pant ensured they were sent to the boundary rope. In a knock where he mixed control and aggression, Pant delivered under pressure to take India’s lead past 200.
