In the second ODI of the three-ODI series, Rishabh Pant achieved another record on South African soil. Pant broke current head coach Rahul Dravid’s record of most runs by an Indian wicketkeeper-batsman in South Africa. With his impactful 85-run knock at no.4, Pant surpassed the likes of Dravid (77), former Indian skipper MS Dhoni (65) and Saba Karim. Before Pant, only three Indian wicketkeeper-batter had scored a half-century in South Africa.
Dravid got the record to his name on October 26, 2001. He scored 77 runs from 102 deliveries at the same batting position at Pant’s. He top-scored for India in a low-scoring match. India lost the match as the hosts chased down the below par 184-run target in the 43rd over.
At the Boland Park, Paarl, Pant had another record in sights. However, he got out to Tabraiz Shamsi in an attempt to hit a big shot. Pant’s 85-run knock is also the fifth-highest score by any visiting wicketkeeper in South Africa. New Zealand’s Adam Parore, Australia’s Adam Gilchrist, England’s Jos Buttler, Zimbabwe’s Tatenda Taibu and Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara have scored centuries as wicketkeeper-batsmen on South African soil in the format.
Pant came in to bat in the 13th over as Indian lost two quick wickets in the form of opener Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli. The 24-year-old struggled to score initially but started accelerating with a six off Keshav Maharaj. He took on Shamsi in a couple of overs scoring boundaries but got out in the 33rd over when India were looking to dominate. The southpaw scored with a strike rate of 119.72 and hit 10 fours and two sixes in his inning.
In the previous game, Pant got stumped out for 16 in the run chase off Andile Phehlukwayo’s bowling. Earlier in the Test series, Pant surpassed Dhoni’s record in Cape Town Test and became the first Indian wicketkeeper-batter to score a century in the red-ball format in South Africa. Pant remained unbeaten in the second innings after reaching the three-figure mark as he was left stranded on the other end.
