Rishabh Pant equals MS Dhoni’s unwanted record after missing out on 5th Test hundred in 1st Test vs SL

India wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant missed out on his fifth Test hundred as he was dismissed for 96 off 97 balls during India’s first innings on Day 1 of the ongoing first Test between India and Sri Lanka at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Friday. Pant looked in great touch and was smacking the Sri Lankan spinners all around the park before falling short of a well-deserved ton by just 4 runs.

The left-hander came out to bat at number five for India when the hosts were 170/3 after Virat Kohli’s dismissal for 45 off 76 deliveries. India lost Hanuma Vihari’s wicket too soon after Pant’s arrival as they were left reeling on 175/4 before the left-hander combined with Shreyas Iyer (27) to add 53 runs for the fifth wicket.

Pant went on to notch up his half-century after Iyer’s departure and added another crucial stand of 104 runs with Ravindra Jadeja (45 not out) for the sixth wicket. He shifted gears after reaching his fifty and raced towards his hundred by smashing two sixes and two fours in the 76th over from Lasith Embuldeniya.

Pant looked set to reach his hundred comfortably, however, he was dismissed by Suranga Lakmal on 96. Pant has now been dismissed in the nervous 90s on five occasions in Test cricket and has equalled MS Dhoni’s unwanted record. Dhoni and Pant are two Indian wicket-keeper batters with most dismissals in the nervous 90s in Test cricket.

While Dhoni scored six centuries in Test cricket, Pant has already slammed four hundreds in the longest format and is likely to finish with many more centuries in his career. He has been one of India’s best performers with the bat in Test cricket for the last couple of years.

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With the help of his 96 and crucial knocks from the likes of Vihari (58), Kohli (45) and Jadeja (45*), India finished with a strong total of 357 runs on the board on Day 1 of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Mohali. India will be looking to breach the 400-run mark on Day 2 of the Test match on Saturday.