IND vs ENG: Rishabh Pant eyes MS Dhoni's massive record, needs 289 runs vs England to become first player to achieve THIS feat

India's five-match Test series against England, commencing on Thursday (June 20) at the Headingley Cricket Ground in Leeds, represents a significant milestone for Rishabh Pant. This tour marks his third visit to England in the longest format, and it will not only be his first assignment as the vice-captain of the team, following his appointment as Shubman Gill's deputy, but it will also see him pursuing MS Dhoni's world record.

After Jasprit Bumrah withdrew as captain due to workload management issues and Rohit Sharma retired, Gill and Pant were given the responsibility of heading India's red-ball cricket team.

Pant boasts an impressive record in England, having made his debut in 2018. As the team's second-most senior batter, his performance will be crucial for the visitors' hopes of winning a series on English soil for the first time since 2007.

Rishabh Pant eyes Dhoni's record

To date, Pant has played eight Test matches in England, accumulating 511 runs at an average of 34.06, including two centuries. At 27 years old, he ranks as the ninth-highest run-scorer among non-English wicket-keeper batters in the country, with his total being the highest among Indian wicket-keepers.

The record for the most runs in England by a non-English wicket-keeper is held by the legendary MS Dhoni. Pant is currently 267 runs short of Dhoni's total and 289 runs away from reaching 800 runs in the country, a milestone that would make him the first player to achieve this feat.

Highest wicket-keeper run-getters in England 

MS Dhoni (India) - 778 runs

Rodney Marsh (Australia) - 773 runs

John Henry (South Africa) - 684 runs

Ian Healy (Australia) - 624 runs

Jeffrey Dujon (West Indies) - 604 runs

Farokh Engineer (India) - 563 runs

Adam Gilchrist (Australia) - 521 runs

Brad Haddin (Australia) - 513 runs

Rishabh Pant (India) - 511 runs

With Pant set to bat at number five and India playing five Test matches in the series, the 27-year-old has a great chance to shatter the record and create a new benchmark for wicket-keeper batsmen. During the 2018 Oval Test and the 2022 Edgbaston Test, Pant became the only wicketkeeper from an away team to score multiple centuries in England. Only four players are higher on the chart than him, with Dhoni leading with eight, and he has also scored 50 or more four times in the nation.

Also read| India vice-captain Rishabh Pant reveals who will replace Virat Kohli to bat at No.4 during England Tests