Pant Reaches Historic Milestones in Galle

Rishabh Pant's sensational fourth-day performance in the first Test against Sri Lanka has cemented his status as one of India's most impactful Test cricketers. The 28-year-old wicketkeeper-batter not only became the first Indian to reach 100 sixes in Test cricket but also overtook captain Shubman Gill to become India's leading run-scorer in the World Test Championship.

Pant scored a blistering 66 off 69 balls in India's second innings at Galle, following up his 39 in the first innings. The twin contributions took his WTC tally to 2,885 runs, moving him 18 runs clear of Gill, who has 2,867. Both players have featured in 41 WTC matches, but Pant has scored his runs in 73 innings compared to Gill's 75 — a testament to his ability to score quickly and decisively.

First Indian to 100 Test Sixes

Pant entered the match with 97 Test sixes and added one in the first innings before completing the century of maximums in his second-innings knock. He first cleared the boundary off Sri Lankan pacer Lahiru Kumara before bringing up his 100th six with another maximum off the same bowler — a shot that also carried him to his half-century from just 53 balls.

He became the first Indian batter to reach the landmark and only the fourth player overall to do so in Test cricket history. Pant's innings was a masterclass in aggressive intent, filled with his trademark unconventional strokeplay that entertained the Galle crowd and kept India firmly in control of the contest.

Pant added 54 runs with Ravindra Jadeja before his innings ended when he edged Kumara to wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella. His knock played a crucial role in India setting Sri Lanka a daunting target of 372.

India's WTC Run-Scorers

With 2,885 WTC runs, Pant now leads a prestigious list of Indian Test batsmen:

• Rishabh Pant — 2,885 runs
• Shubman Gill — 2,867 runs
• Rohit Sharma — 2,716 runs
• Ravindra Jadeja — 2,632 runs
• Virat Kohli — 2,617 runs
• Yashasvi Jaiswal — 2,543 runs
• KL Rahul — 2,265 runs

Pant's WTC record includes six centuries and 17 fifties, with a best score of 146 and an average of 41.81.

Gill's Galle Struggles

While Pant soared, Gill endured a difficult match in Galle, managing only 16 and 8 across the two innings. The Indian captain was dismissed leg before wicket by Prabath Jayasuriya in the second innings as Sri Lanka's spinners exploited the abrasive surface. The dismissal will give Gill plenty to think about ahead of the second Test, particularly with spin expected to remain a major factor throughout the series.

At the top of the overall WTC run charts sits England's Joe Root, who has amassed 6,651 runs in 77 matches. Root will have another opportunity to extend that tally when England begin their three-Test series against Pakistan at Headingley.

For Pant, however, the immediate significance is his new position at the summit of India's WTC batting charts — another landmark in an already remarkable and resurgent Test career.