Playing Test cricket for the Indian team is the dream of many players. However, only a few players can fulfill that dream because the Indian playing XI features 11 players only. Out of that, only five or six are specialist batters, while thousands are competing for those spots.
It shows how difficult it is to earn a place in the Indian Test team. The Test format demands the batter to be sound with defense and also the ability to score runs while tackling swing, seam and spin. It is common to see batters with a strike rate less than 80 in Tests, but here’s a list of the top six fastest half-centuries for India in this format.
6. KL Rahul’s fastest 50 in Test cricket – 33 balls
KL Rahul played the most aggressive innings of his Test career against Bangladesh today at Green Park. He took 33 balls to complete his half-century and eventually got out with 68 runs off 43 balls to his name.
5. Virender Sehwag – 32 balls
Regarded by many as one of the most explosive openers of all time, Virender Sehwag is on the fifth position in the list. Sehwag smashed a 50 off just 32 balls against England back in the year 2008.
4. Shardul Thakur – 31 balls
It might surprise a few fans but Shardul Thakur features on this list as well. The bowling all-rounder launched an attack on England away from in 2021 and reached 50 in just 31 balls.
3. Yashasvi Jaiswal – 31 balls
Yashasvi Jaiswal owns the third position on this list now after his 31-ball half-century in the ongoing Test against Bangladesh. Jaiswal showed Bangladesh his attacking game and achieved the milestone in no time.
2. Kapil Dev – 30 balls
The only entry from the 1980s on this list is of Kapil Dev. The 1983 World Cup winning captain destroyed the Pakistani bowling attack in a Test in 1982 and scored 50 off just 30 deliveries.
1. Rishabh Pant has the fastest 50 by an Indian in Test cricket – 28 balls
The record for the fastest 50 by an Indian in Tests belongs to Rishabh Pant. Back in the year 2022, Pant raced to his half-ton off just 28 balls while playing in a home Test against Sri Lanka.
