"Should start charging entertainment tax" - Twitterati goes berserk as Rishabh Pant scores fastest Test fifty by an Indian

Twitter reactions to Rishabh Pant's record-breaking knock

Rishabh Pant was at his entertaining best on Sunday as he romped to a record-breaking half-century off just 28 balls in the Bengaluru Test against Sri Lanka.

The wicketkeeper-batter's knock, coming at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 161, included seven boundaries and two massive sixes. It broke legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev's record for the fastest Test half-century by an Indian male cricketer.

Dev took 30 balls for his brilliant fifty against Pakistan in Karachi in 1982.

Only eight batters have scored Test half-centuries at a faster pace than the Delhi Capitals' skipper. Misbah-ul-Haq tops the chart with his 21-ball fifty in 2014.

Calculated aggression has been the only successful mantra on this Chinnaswamy pitch, which has offered sharp turn and uneven bounce from Day 1. A master of that exact skill, Rishabh Pant brought out his best for the occasion.

He first punished the Sri Lankan spinners for their loose deliveries upfront and, once settled, didn't allow the opposition to gain any footing. The southpaw got out on his 31st ball, trying to hit another six but skying it high for an easy caught and bowled for Praveen Jayawickrama.

Pant did his job though. He came in to bat at 116-3 and left the team in a much better position at 184-5. As expected, the knock invited celebratory reactions on social media.

While the 24-year-old's teammate Suryakumar Yadav drew cheeky comparisons with MS Dhoni, fans hailed his entertaining charm and the possible "Rishabh Pant era".

The following are some of the best reactions:

FIFTY!

@RishabhPant17 surpasses Kapil Dev to score the fastest 50 by an Indian in Test cricket. It has come off 28 deliveries.

Take a bow, Rishabh 👏💪💥

Live - bit.ly/INDvSL-2NDTEST #INDvSL @Paytm https://t.co/YcpJf2sp2H

Hum iss ladke ko jaante hain 😁 #RishabhPant #INDvsSL

@surya_14kumar https://t.co/jgebfYgI86

The frequency with which @RishabhPant17 produces such knocks is just incredible. Usually if a batter is mercurial he's not consistent. But in Pant we've a mercurial batter who's consistent. World beater! #INDvSL https://t.co/qse2dY0zOz

Rishabh Pant has now aggregated 80+ runs in this match at a SR of 160+.

No one has scored more runs in a Test match at a higher strike rate (where number of balls faced was recorded).

Rishabh Pant the record holder 💥 https://t.co/2iQLtJNok7

This is Rishabh Pant's world.

How can you watch rishabh Pant bat & act like you don't like him

Rishabh Pant plays the game like every kid dreams of doing. That he has the skill to execute it at test level too makes him one of the most fun cricketers going.

We are perhaps entering the Rishabh Pant era in Indian cricket.

Rishabh Pant has fifty in 28 or fewer balls across 3 formats in International Cricket. Chris Gayle is the only other to achieve it.

#INDvSL #RishabhPant #GenerationalTalent

Rishabh Pant with another stunning knock! What a guy. Box office stuff

50 off 28 balls. Electric. This is Rishabh Pant’s time and we’re just living in it. #INDvSL

Rishabh Pant The "BOX OFFICE" Player.

#INDvsSL #INDvSL https://t.co/TGdn9pHC2l

Nobody more fitting to get to the record for the fastest Test fifty by an Indian. Rishabh 'Maverick' Pant! #INDvsSL

Rishabh Pant now holds the record of hitting most sixes in Test cricket since his debut.

We are all loving it. The Rishabh Pant era. https://t.co/aXrImDLVFg

This guy Rishabh right back on his shit

You know Rishabh Pant is a special player when umpires are warning him for batting too down and on danger area on the surface. 🤷‍♂️

Rishabh Pant is on song 🔥
#RishabhPant #INDvsSL #INDvSL https://t.co/KIUVfUunzX

Rishabh Pant be like https://t.co/wpM0HurJ8f

Rishabh Pant plays against the laws of Cricket. Format, pitch, the opposition doesn't matter when he comes to bat.

The most fearless batter I've seen after Virender Sehwag!

Rishabh Pant should soon start charging entertainment tax with GST for the knocks he plays. #INDvSL

Rishabh pant supremacy 🔥 https://t.co/ldXQm28geI

Nobody
Literally nobody

Le Rishabh Pant forgetting it's test match and batting like IPL with SR of 160 https://t.co/k85EymWLmT

Rishabh Pant is revolutionizing test cricket! #INDvsSL

Basically the rest of the Indian team plays 3 different formats while Rishabh Pant plays T20 every time he gets to bat.

Ravindra Jadeja and Shreyas Iyer take over from Rishabh Pant

India went to Dinner break on Day 2 with a score of 199-5, with first innings hero Shreyas Iyer at 18 (25) and Ravindra Jadeja at 10 (19). The pitch is unforgiving but the two batters have looked steadier than their predecessors.

India's lead is well over 300 and with three days still left, there's no reason why they shouldn't eye a target of 400-450.