Leeds, June 22, 2025 – Rishabh Pant etched his name into Indian cricket history on Sunday, becoming only the third Indian wicketkeeper to claim 150 catches in Test cricket. The landmark moment came during the third day of the first Test against England at Headingley, Leeds.
Pant reached the milestone after safely grabbing an edge off Ollie Pope’s bat, a delivery produced by Prasidh Krishna early in the day’s play. The dismissal marked Pant’s 150th catch behind the stumps, joining the elite company of Syed Kirmani (160 catches) and MS Dhoni (256 catches), who previously held the record in Indian Test cricket.
With 151 catches and 15 stumpings to his name, Pant now has 166 dismissals in Tests, further solidifying his standing as one of India’s most prolific wicketkeepers. MS Dhoni remains at the top of the list with 294 dismissals, followed by Kirmani with 198.
England, resuming the day at 209/3 with Ollie Pope unbeaten on 100 and Harry Brook yet to open his account, looked aggressive early on. Pope extended his innings to 106 off 137 deliveries before being caught by Pant off Krishna, leaving England at 225/4.
Brook, unfazed, continued to dominate the bowlers, reaching his half-century off 65 balls. Alongside debutant Jamie Smith, who survived an LBW scare against Shardul Thakur, the duo built a strong partnership, steering England past the 300-run mark.
Despite a missed catch by Pant off Brook earlier in the session, the Indian keeper made amends with a steady performance behind the stumps. England ended the first session at 327/5, still trailing India by 144 runs, with Brook unbeaten on 57 and Smith on 29.
Pant’s milestone added a bright spot for India amid England’s run flow and showcased his evolution as a dependable figure behind the stumps since making his debut in 2018.
