BAN vs IND: Rishabh Pant becomes second-fastest Indian to hit 50 sixes in Tests on Day 1 of series opener

Rishabh Pant missed the entire ODI series between India and Bangladesh after consultation with the BCCI medical team. While he has returned for the two-match Test series and was drafted into the playing XI after India opted to bat first on Day 1 of the Chattogram Test, Pant slammed a well-made 46-run-knock. Coming out to bat at No. 5 with India struggling at 48 for 3, Pant resurrected the Indian innings with a 64-run fourth-wicket stand with Cheteshwar Pujara (90) before falling for 46 after the lunch break. Though his stay wasn't a lengthy one, he achieved a new record.

With his second six, Pant became the second-fastest Indian to reach 50 sixes in the purest format of the game. Pant (54th inning) is only behind Rohit Sharma (51 innings). Overall, the swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter stands third in the all-time list of fastest to 50 Test sixes. Pakistan's Shahid Afridi continues to lead the list as he reached the feat in 46 innings. Among Indians, Pant is the eighth batter to 50 maximums in whites. He has joined some big names such as Rohit, Virender Sehwag, MSDhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, Sourav Ganguly and Ravindra Jadeja.

In addition, Pant touched the 4000-run mark in international cricket during his knock on Day 1 of the India-Bangladesh Chattogram Test on Wednesday (December 14).

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Talking about opening day's play of the series opener, India wno the toss and opted to bat first. Stand-in captain KL Rahul and Shubman Gill started off cautiously before Gill (20) fell courtesy of a paddle sweep whereas Rahul (22) chopped it onto the stumps. Virat Kohli departed for 1, lbw offTaijul Islam. From thereon, Pant-Pujara held the innings before Shreyas Iyer joined the latter and stitched a valuable 149-run fifth-wicket stand. At stumps, Iyer remains unbeaten on 82 after losing Pujara and Axar Patel (14) right before end of day's play.