Pant surpasses Dhoni to become India's top wicketkeeper run-scorer in away Tests

Rishabh Pant etched his name into Indian cricket history on August 24, 2026, claiming the record for the most runs scored by an Indian wicketkeeper in away and neutral Tests. His tally of 2,534 runs in this category puts him clear of MS Dhoni, who had accumulated 2,496 across his career in the same conditions.

The milestone was confirmed during India's second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo. Pant has built his runs at an average of 41.54, a figure that speaks to his reliability as a wicketkeeper-batter when playing outside the subcontinent and in neutral venues.

Since making his debut in 2018, Pant has been a force to reckon with in the format, and his record is a testament to his utility to the side. His runs have come at a strike rate of 69.23, which shows that he has been able to score at a brisk pace even on challenging tracks.

How did Pant's innings unfold in Colombo?

Pant's time in the middle during the Colombo Test was cut short in an uncomfortable fashion. A sharp bouncer from Lahiru Kumara struck him on the left wrist on Day 1, forcing him to walk off the field after facing 15 balls and contributing three runs. He was recorded as retired hurt.

He returned to bat on Day 2 and scored 63 off 89 balls, his 21st half-century in Tests, hitting six fours and two sixes in a fast-paced knock. He also stitched a 112-run partnership off 152 balls with Dhruv Jurel, which formed the bulk of India's batting effort in the first session of Day 2. He eventually fell on the first ball after lunch, stepping out and giving a catch to long-off off Keshara Nuwantha's bowling.

Where does this record place Pant among India's wicketkeeping greats?

The record Pant has now claimed belonged to Dhoni, widely regarded as one of the finest wicketkeeper-batters India has produced. Dhoni's 2,496 runs in away and neutral Tests had stood as the standard for Indian glovemen in these conditions for several years.

Pant's 2,534 runs at an average of 41.54 now represent the new benchmark. The distance between the top two and the rest of the list is considerable. Farokh Engineer's 1,209 and Syed Kirmani's 1,109 are the closest, yet both fall more than 1,300 runs short of Pant's current tally. That gap reflects how Pant and Dhoni have operated in a different tier from every other Indian wicketkeeper when batting away from home.