Rishabh Pant just 289 runs shy of breaking MS Dhoni's World record in India's tour of England

Rishabh Pant will have a chance to script history in the upcoming five-match Test series between India and England. This tour marks his third visit to England for the longest format of the game. Importantly, it will not only be his inaugural assignment as the team's vice-captain, a role he assumes as Shubman Gill's deputy, but it will also see him in pursuit of a world record held by MS Dhoni.

Following a significant shift in India's red-ball leadership, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant were entrusted with the top roles within the team. This restructuring became necessary after Rohit Sharma's retirement from Test cricket and Jasprit Bumrah's decision to step back from captaincy considerations, citing concerns related to workload management.

Rishabh Pant boasts an impressive track record in England, where he made his Test debut in 2018. As the second-most experienced batter in the current Indian squad, his performances in the upcoming series will be crucial in determining the visitors' chances of securing a Test series victory on English soil for the first time since 2007.

Throughout his Test career so far, Rishabh Pant has participated in eight matches in England, accumulating 511 runs at an average of 34.06, including two centuries. The 27-year-old currently holds the ninth position for the most runs scored by visiting (non-English) wicket-keeper batters in the country. Notably, his run tally is the highest among all Indian wicket-keepers who have played Test cricket in England.

The record for the most runs scored in England by a wicket-keeper from a non-English team is currently held by the legendary Indian cricketer, MS Dhoni. Rishabh Pant is presently 267 runs short of surpassing Dhoni's tally. Furthermore, he is also 289 runs away from reaching the milestone of 800 runs in England. Achieving this would make him the first wicket-keeper batter to accomplish this feat in the country.

Rishabh Pant also stands alone as the only wicket-keeper from a visiting side to have registered multiple centuries in England. He achieved this milestone with centuries at The Oval in 2018 and at Edgbaston in 2022. In addition to these centuries, Pant has also recorded four scores of fifty or more in the country. Among wicket-keepers, only four players have more 50+ scores in England than Pant, with MS Dhoni leading the list with eight such scores.