Pant achieves unique feat, becomes 4th Indian to take 5 catches on Test debut

Young Rishabh Pant today became the fourth Indian wicket-keeper to take five catches on Test debut during the second day of the third cricket Test against England, here today.

Pant joined the elite club of Naren Tamhane (vs Pakistan in 1955), Kiran More (vs England in 1986) and Naman Ojha (vs Sri Lanka in 2015), all of whom took five catches on their Test debuts.

Pant, who became India's 291st Test player, claimed the feat by taking the catches of Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Ollie Pope, Chris Woakes and Adil Rashid in England's first innings.

England were bowled out for 161 in their first innings in reply to India's 329.

Pant is also the first Asian wicket-keeper to take five catches in an innings on Test debut.

Pant, who replaced Dinesh Karthik, had earlier marked his Test debut in style by slamming a six off leg-spinner Adil Rashid on the second ball of his innings yesterday.

He, thus, became the first Indian to open his account in Test cricket with a six.

Pant became the 12th batsman overall to do so after Eric Freeman, Carlisle Best, Keith Dabengwa, Dale Richards, Shafiul Islam, Jahurul Islam, Al-Amin Hossain, Mark Craig, Dhananjaya De Silva, Kamrul Islam Rabbi and Sunil Ambris.

Pant, however, failed to make it big and was out for 24 off 51 balls.