"Officially it's Rishabh Pant era in Indian cricket"- Fans react as wicketkeeper-batter jumps to 5th spot in ICC Test rankings

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Rishabh Pant was India's highest run-scorer at Edgbaston Test.

Team India's wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant attained the highest spot among Indian cricketers in the latest ICC Ranking for Test batters, which was released on Wednesday.

Pant’s recent form with two centuries and three half-centuries in his past six Test innings propelled him to fifth position, moving up six spots.

The southpaw was also India's best batter in the recently concluded Test against England at Edgbaston. Pant played a whirlwind knock of 146 off 111 balls to put India on top. He backed it up with a half-century in the second innings.

However, England put on a scintillating show with the bat to chase down a record target of 378 runs in the final innings. They won the game with seven wickets to spare courtesy of unbeaten centuries from Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow.

Rishabh Pant

@RishabhPant17

Target has moved little farther but the focus is still intact. We will be back stronger.

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1179

Target has moved little farther but the focus is still intact. We will be back stronger. 🎯🏆👀🇮🇳 https://t.co/6UFxWuCsIZ

Meanwhile, Indian cricket fans were extremely delighted to see the youngster taking rapid strides in international cricket. They congratulated Pant for his rapid success and also longed for him to be the No.1 Test batter in the world soon.

Here are some of the reactions:

Mufaddal Vohra

@mufaddal_vohra

Rishabh Pant is now India's highest Ranked Test batter with 5th position and 801 Ratings.

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Rishabh Pant is now India's highest Ranked Test batter with 5th position and 801 Ratings.

🅒🅡🅘︎🅒︎🄲🅁🄰🅉🅈𝗠𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗨™ 🇮🇳❤️

@MSDianMrigu

@Sportskeeda @ImRo45 @RishabhPant17 @root66 @babarazam258 @marnus3cricket @stevesmith49 @Uz_Khawaja @IamDimuth @jbairstow21 Highest ranked Indian test batter

@Sportskeeda @ImRo45 @RishabhPant17 @root66 @babarazam258 @marnus3cricket @stevesmith49 @Uz_Khawaja @IamDimuth @jbairstow21 Highest ranked Indian test batter 💥 https://t.co/EgAJUbgsDx

Jeyamani

@Jemmy1312

No one expected @RishabhPant17 here ....haters keep trolling him he will become "Best wicketkeeper batsman" of all time twitter.com/CricCrazyJohns…

Johns.

@CricCrazyJohns

ICC Test batsman ranking:

1) Root - 923
2) Labuschagne - 879
3) Smith - 826
4) Babar - 815
5) Pant - 801
6) Williamson - 786
7) Khawaja - 779
8) Karunarantne - 760
9) Rohit - 746
10) Bairstow - 742

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ICC Test batsman ranking:

1) Root - 923
2) Labuschagne - 879
3) Smith - 826
4) Babar - 815
5) Pant - 801
6) Williamson - 786
7) Khawaja - 779
8) Karunarantne - 760
9) Rohit - 746
10) Bairstow - 742

No one expected @RishabhPant17 here ....haters keep trolling him he will become "Best wicketkeeper batsman" of all time twitter.com/CricCrazyJohns…

The Short Leg Fielder

@ShortLegFielder

Highest ranked wk batsman & highest ranked all rounder in the world. Absolute legends. #RavindraJadeja #RishabhPant

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Highest ranked wk batsman & highest ranked all rounder in the world. Absolute legends. #RavindraJadeja #RishabhPant https://t.co/xMBDyLOMFC

Satyam Harsana 999

@SatyamSinghGur6

@ICC @MRFWorldwide Rishabh pant supremacy .

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@ICC @MRFWorldwide Rishabh pant supremacy . https://t.co/ITdMYH14Hn

M

@madhumita555

@RishabhPant17 .. I'm so proud to be your fan not fan more than that .. keep playing keep scoring tons keep improving.. #RishabhPant #RP17 twitter.com/mufaddal_vohra…

Mufaddal Vohra

@mufaddal_vohra

ICC Test Ranking and Ratings:

1. Root - 923.
2. Labuschagne - 879.
3. Smith - 826.
4. Babar - 815.
5. Pant - 801.
6. Williamson - 786.
7. Khawaja - 779.
8. Karunaratne - 760.
9. Rohit - 746.
10. Bairstow - 742.

- Pant climbs to No.5, Virat Kohli out of Top 10.

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108

ICC Test Ranking and Ratings:

1. Root - 923.
2. Labuschagne - 879.
3. Smith - 826.
4. Babar - 815.
5. Pant - 801.
6. Williamson - 786.
7. Khawaja - 779.
8. Karunaratne - 760.
9. Rohit - 746.
10. Bairstow - 742.

- Pant climbs to No.5, Virat Kohli out of Top 10.

@RishabhPant17 😭 .. I'm so proud to be your fan not fan more than that 😭😭😭😭 .. keep playing keep scoring tons keep improving.. #RishabhPant #RP17 twitter.com/mufaddal_vohra…

Rishabh Pant Trends™

@TrendsRishabh

Now you are seeing the highest ranked test batsmen from Indian team @RishabhPant17 🦁🤙

5th Rank 🥳

#RP17

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Now you are seeing the highest ranked test batsmen from Indian team @RishabhPant17 🦁🤙

5th Rank 🔥🥳

#RP17 https://t.co/9wjI1EN9gS

༇⃟⃢⃞𒃮⃞𒊓⃝⃣𒊓⃝𒃮⃞𓊈𓆩🇰Rrish𓆪𓊉 🖤༇⃟༇⃟⃢⃞𒅃⃝⃞⃣༇⃟

@imkrrishh18

@ICC @MRFWorldwide Rishabh pant gonna reach the top... He will go ahead of babar Azam..

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@ICC @MRFWorldwide Rishabh pant gonna reach the top... He will go ahead of babar Azam.. 🇮🇳

Saket Patel.

@runsandrunss

Pant on the way for number 1 spot. One of the best batsman in the world. And as a keeper, that's a rare very rare thing. Once in a Generation player.

#RishabhPant twitter.com/CricCrazyJohns…

Johns.

@CricCrazyJohns

ICC Test batsman ranking:

1) Root - 923
2) Labuschagne - 879
3) Smith - 826
4) Babar - 815
5) Pant - 801
6) Williamson - 786
7) Khawaja - 779
8) Karunarantne - 760
9) Rohit - 746
10) Bairstow - 742

662

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ICC Test batsman ranking:

1) Root - 923
2) Labuschagne - 879
3) Smith - 826
4) Babar - 815
5) Pant - 801
6) Williamson - 786
7) Khawaja - 779
8) Karunarantne - 760
9) Rohit - 746
10) Bairstow - 742

Pant on the way for number 1 spot. One of the best batsman in the world. And as a keeper, that's a rare very rare thing. Once in a Generation player.

#RishabhPant twitter.com/CricCrazyJohns… https://t.co/J0BFp59LQl

Hrithik.

@LostMyAxe

Rishabh Pant breaches the 800 ratings mark in test rankings! Higher and higher we go! 🤌🏻

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Rishabh Pant breaches the 800 ratings mark in test rankings! Higher and higher we go! 🤌🏻

Ravi Bhushan

@geekravi

@RishabhPant17 entered in top five. Very soon he will be number one. More power to you champ!!!
#RishabhPant #icc #BCCI #INDvsENG

@RishabhPant17 entered in top five. Very soon he will be number one. More power to you champ!!!
#RishabhPant #icc #BCCI #INDvsENG https://t.co/ZbPMKNYUqs

Gaurav Kulkarni

@kulkarnig92

No.5

#RishabhPant @RishabhPant17 #RP17

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1

No.5✅🔥

#RishabhPant @RishabhPant17 #RP17 https://t.co/P9vDkX6ZuU

Ash

@anonymws

6th July 2022 - Pant enters into top5 Test ranking batsman..
@RishabhPant17 🤺 twitter.com/anonymws/statu…

Ash

@anonymws

5th May,2021 - Pant moves to 6th in test rankings
@RishabhPant17 🤺
On the way On the way He is on the way twitter.com/anonymws/statu…

5th May,2021 - Pant moves to 6th in test rankings
@RishabhPant17 🤺💥
On the way On the way He is on the way twitter.com/anonymws/statu…

6th July 2022 - Pant enters into top5 Test ranking batsman..
@RishabhPant17 🤺 twitter.com/anonymws/statu… https://t.co/W06A3KUtvh

Yash Kumar

@85off48

Highest ranked test wk batsmen
At top 5 ICC rankings and future of ICT
Really proud of u @RishabhPant17

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Highest ranked test wk batsmen
At top 5 ICC rankings and future of ICT
Really proud of u @RishabhPant17 ❤️ https://t.co/RxXAG8N5v8

HariDaDa..

@haridada_

Officially it's Rishabh pant era in Indian cricket twitter.com/CricCrazyJohns…

Johns.

@CricCrazyJohns

Rishabh Pant becomes the highest ranked Indian batsman in ICC Test ranking currently.

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Rishabh Pant becomes the highest ranked Indian batsman in ICC Test ranking currently.

Officially it's Rishabh pant era in Indian cricket twitter.com/CricCrazyJohns… https://t.co/KTJ8Pj2qXW

One tweet claiming that it is now 'officially it's Rishabh Pant era in Indian cricket', seemed to best sum up the situation.

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"He keeps increasing everyone's heart rates time and again" - Rahul Dravid on Rishabh Pant

Team India head coach Rahul Dravid reserved high praise for Rishabh Pant following his superlative performance in the Birmingham Test. Dravid also asserted that the management backs Pant's aggressive brand of cricket.

Addressing reporters at the end of the fifth Test, the former Indian captain said:

“He is doing really well in Test cricket. He keeps increasing everyone's heart rates time and again with some of his shots but we are now used to do that."

He added:

“We accept that he may play some shots at time that we think he maybe shouldn't play. I think we need to accept that a little because the way he plays, he can turn a Test around and he did that in this match and in South Africa. We can also see that he is thoughtful and does not take a wild swing at every ball."

Dravid further noted:

"He waits for the ball and plays on his strengths. He backs himself when he sees the right bowler and that has been our message to him."

The Delhi Capitals captain will next be seen in action during the three-match T20I series against England, which gets underway on July 7 (Thursday) in Southampton. It will be followed by three one-day internationals against England.

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