Rishabh Pant breaks Kapil Dev's 40-year-old record with sensational fifty in pink-ball Test against Sri Lanka

Indian wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant slammed the fastest fifty by an Indian batter in Test cricket as he notched up his half-century of just 28 balls on Day 2 of the ongoing pink-ball Test between India and Sri Lanka at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Pant broke the legendary Kapil Dev's 40-year-old record with his quickfire fifty.

Known for his attacking style of play irrespective of the format, Pant continued his natural stroke play against Sri Lanka during India's second innings as he went after the visitors' bowling attack. Showing no mercy against the spinners, Pant smashed seven fours and two sixes to race to his fifty in just 28 deliveries.

Pant broke the 40-year-old record held by the legendary Kapil Dev of the fastest fifty by an Indian in Tests. The 1983 World Cup-winning captain had slammed a half-century in just 30 balls in the Karachi Test against Pakistan in 1982. Shardul Thakur is on the third spot in the list of fastest fifties by Indians in Tests as he had scored a 31-ball fifty against England at the Oval last year.

Fastest fifties by Indians in Tests:

Rishabh Pant - 28 balls

Kapil Dev - 30 balls

Shardul Thakur - 31 balls

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Overall, Pant is ninth on the list of players with the fastest fifties in Test cricket. Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq holds the record for scoring the fastest fifty in the longest format having taken just 21 balls for his half-century against Australia in a Test match in Abu Dhabi in 2014. 

Pant has also broken the legendary MS Dhoni's record for the fastest fifty by a wicket-keeper in Test cricket. Dhoni and former Australia keeper Ian Smith held the record for the fastest fifty by a wicket-keeper in Tests having achieved the feat in 34 balls. However, Pant has now better the duo with his sensational knock.

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Pant's fifty helped India extend their 143-run first innings lead over the 300-run mark as he went all out against the Sri Lankan bowlers. Pant also became only the fourth Indian batter after Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer to score a fifty for India in a pink-ball Test match.