Australian Test captain Tim Paine added a prestigious feather in his cap on the second day of the Boxing Day Test against India as he became the fastest stumper in the history of the longest format of the game to affect 150 dismissals.
Paine achieved the landmark when he gobbled a regulation nick off the bat of a dangerous-looking Rishabh Pant [29] on the bowling of Mitchell Starc, who also happened to complete his 250th Test scalp with the same dismissal.
Paine has taken just 33 Test matches to achieve the feat and he is followed by South African wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock [34], former legendary Australian gloveman Adam Gikchirst [36], Mark Boucher [38] and Rodney Marsh, who achieved the landmark in 39 Test matches.
WHAT A CATCH ?
Tim Paine with an absolute stunner ?
(Credit @QuinnRooney13) pic.twitter.com/7Dq9mhzLIA
— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) December 27, 2020
However, Tim Paine came roaring back as he completed an easy catch off Gill off the bowling of Pat Cummins and if that wasn’t enough, he went on to take a one-handed diving catch in front of first slip after Cummins once again squared-up Cheteshwar Pujara to induce an outside edge just like he had done in the second innings of the Adelaide Test.
That said, Ajinkya Rahane’s dodged knock and Rishabh Pant’s counterattacking display helped India recover from a tumultuous position that they were once in after having lost Gill and Pujara in quick succession in the first hour.
At the time of writing, India had wiped off the first innings deficit and were 19 runs in front with skipper Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja holding fort in the post-Tea session.
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Quickest to reach 150 dismissals in Tests
Tim Paine – 33
Quinton de Kock – 34
Adam Gilchrist – 36
Mark Boucher – 38
Rod Marsh – 39