Can Rishabh Pant surpass Adam Gilchrist's record for the most hundreds in Test cricket?

Rishabh Pant made an incredible return to India's Test team by scoring a century in the second innings of the opening game against Bangladesh in Chennai. Since then, Pant has become the talk of the town, equaling former Indian legend MS Dhoni’s record for the most hundreds by an Indian wicket-keeper in Test cricket. The southpaw had been out of the game for more than 1.5 years following a horrific car accident in December, which occurred while he was traveling to his hometown after the Bangladesh series to be with his family. He suffered several severe injuries, leaving him unable to walk for nearly six months.

Despite facing such daunting challenges, Pant remained resilient, waiting for the right moment to make one of the greatest comebacks in international cricket. Once fully fit, Pant returned to the cricketing world through the Indian Premier League (IPL) as captain of the Delhi Capitals. He ended the tournament as the team's highest run-scorer. His outstanding performance in the IPL caught the attention of selectors, and he was chosen as the first-choice wicket-keeper for India in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, having scored 171 runs in 8 games.

Pant subsequently returned to the ODI and Test formats for the Sri Lanka and Bangladesh series. But the question remains: can Rishabh Pant surpass former cricketer Adam Gilchrist’s record of 17 Test centuries and become the greatest wicket-keeper batter in the world?

Rishabh Pant’s career has been a rollercoaster ride. Each time he soared with impactful performances, life seemed to knock him down. However, after his return from injury, Pant appears to be a new version of himself—more fearless and aggressive in his approach, traits that had been missing in the Indian team for the last year and a half. Given his current form and age, there is little doubt that the Delhi-born batter has the potential to become one of the greatest Test players of all time.

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly also weighed in on this, stating that Pant is on course to become an all-time great in Test cricket.

"I consider Rishabh Pant one of India's best Test batsmen," Ganguly said during a promotional event. "I'm not surprised that he's back in the side, and he will continue to play for India in Tests. He will be an all-time great in Tests if he keeps performing like this. For me, he needs to get better in the shorter formats. With the talent he has, I'm sure, with time, he will become one of the best."

Pant's explosive batting in Test cricket has cemented his status as a match-winner, particularly in overseas conditions. His aggressive, counter-attacking approach has often shifted the momentum in India’s favor, and Ganguly’s unwavering faith in him further highlights Pant's growing stature in the format. After his match-winning knock in the second innings of the first Test, the Delhi Capitals captain will be eager to carry his good form into the next match, set to be played at Green Park Stadium in Kanpur.