ENG vs IND | Record-breaking Pant smashes 3rd consecutive 50+ score in England

Champion Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant continued his dream run in Test cricket as the 24-year-old notched up his 3rd consecutive 50+ score in the ongoing series in England.

Pant scored his 10th Test half-century on Monday and the second 50+ score in the ongoing match with a delicate tickle off Stuart Broad for a boundary.

In the process, the southpaw became only the second Indian keeper after Farokh Engineer to score a hundred and a 50 in the same Test. Engineer achieved the feat way back in 1973 against England in Mumbai.

The swashbuckling batsman also became the first Indian keeper to score more than 200 runs in a Test match in England.

Unlike the first innings, where he smashed the English seamers into oblivion, Pant showed remarkable grit in the second innings as England continued to play on his patience by employing off-spinner Joe Root for the better part of the final session yesterday and in the morning on Monday.

The southpaw played his trademark swivel pull, flicks, and drives, and at the backend of his knock, he also dished out reverse-flicks off the pacers.

Pant added priceless 78 runs for the fourth wicket with Cheteshwar Pujara, who once again meditated like a monk during his 168-ball stay at the crease for his 66. However, Stuart Broad eventually broke the partnership after Pujara went for a cut shot off a wide delivery, only to hit it straight to Alex Lees at backward point.

Shreyas Iyer succumbed to the short-pitch ploy from England, while Pant was eventually dismissed at the score of 57 by Jack Leach as he tried to reverse-sweep him over the third man.

At the time of writing, India were 331 runs ahead with four wickets in the bank.