It was crazy action at the Optus Stadium in Perth in the first Test between India and Australia. As many as 17 wickets fell on the day with only 217 runs being scored and even then Rishabh Pant managed to create history breaking a 47-year-old record in Australia. He scored 37 runs and looked one of the most fluent batters on the day from both sides.
As far as his record is concerned, the left-hander became the top run-scorer by a visiting wicketkeeper in Australia ever in Tests. He went past England's wicket Alan Knott who had scored 643 runs in 22 innings down under at an average of 33.84 with four fifties and a century to his name. He last played in Australia way back in 1977 and his record is finally broken after 47 years.
Pant took only eight Test matches and 13 innings to break Knott's record as he has now amassed 661 runs at an impeccable average of 60.09 with two fifties and a century to his name with the best score of 159*.
Most runs by visiting wicketkeepers in Australia
| Player |
Runs scored |
| Rishabh Pant (India) |
661 |
| Alan Knott (England) |
643 |
| Jeff Dujon (West Indies) |
587 |
Rishabh Pant's 37-run knock was extremely crucial in the context of the day's play even as he stitched a massive 48-run stand, the highest of the day by a long way, to help India post 150 runs in the first innings. In response, Australia crumbled with Jasprit Bumrah leading the way for the visitors picking up four wickets. The hosts ended the day at 67/7, trailing by 83 runs and it remains to be seen if India will be able to eke out a big lead despite posting a small total.
Australia's Playing XI:
Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
India's Playing XI:
KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah (c), Mohammed Siraj
