In the age of modern keepers, two names spark endless debates: Mohammad Rizwan and Rishabh Pant. One is steady as a rock, the other a natural firecracker. But when you strip away the noise, who’s actually delivering more for their team?
The Numbers Game
Pant’s Test runs look impressive, over 3,300 at an average in the mid‑40s, studded with iconic knocks like those twin tons at Headingley. Rizwan’s tally is smaller but steady: around 2,200 Test runs at just over 40. Not as flashy, but across formats he quietly outperforms most keepers, averaging over 42 in ODIs and flirting with 50 in T20Is.
Against the Big Guns
Pant’s record in Australia is the stuff of highlight reels. Match-saving innings at the SCG, counterattacking hundreds that flip the script. Rizwan? He’s more the quiet worker, grinding runs in England, South Africa, and New Zealand when Pakistan needed stability. Against Australia, his average sits in the mid‑40s too, proving he’s no flat‑track bully.
Consistency vs Chaos
Pant is the batsman you clear your schedule for. He’ll either drag your jaw to the floor or leave you scratching your head. Rizwan, meanwhile, is Pakistan’s metronome. Rarely a collapse when he’s in, he bats time, soaks pressure, and lets others play around him. In white-ball cricket, his T20I numbers are elite: over 3,000 runs at a near‑50 average, numbers most openers would kill for.
More Than Just Batting
Both are safe hands behind the stumps, but Rizwan’s calm influence stands out. He rarely lets the game slip, marshaling bowlers and setting sharp fields. Pant brings energy and banter, keeping the vibe electric, but also carries the occasional lapse. Leadership versus raw spark, pick your flavour.
Career Snapshot – All Formats
| Player | Tests (Matches/Runs/Average) | ODI (Matches/Runs/Average) | T20I (Matches/Runs/Average) |
| Rizwan | 39 / 2,273 / 40.78 | 86 / 2,523 / 42.76 | 106 / 3,414 / 47.50 |
| Pant | 44 / ~3,000+ / ~44+ | (Less used) ≈33.50 | Primarily Test specialist |
The Modern Keeper Landscape
Stack Rizwan next to Jos Buttler or Quinton de Kock and you see a pattern: Rizwan isn’t the biggest hitter, but he’s the most complete across formats. Pant dominates the Test narrative; Buttler owns white-ball cricket. Rizwan quietly threads the middle ground, giving his team balance no matter the format.
Performance by Country – Test Records Only
| Player | Australia | England | South Africa | New Zealand |
| Rizwan | Avg ≈40.4 | Avg ≈40.9 | Avg ≈49.9 | Avg ≈39–41 |
| Pant | Avg ~46.1 | Avg ~43.1 | Avg ~37.2 | Avg ~15.0 |
The Verdict
If you want fireworks, Pant’s your man; he’ll win you sessions in style. But if you want someone who scores in Durban and Dhaka, Sydney and Multan, someone who won’t blink under lights or in a day‑five dogfight, Rizwan’s the pick. He doesn’t just play for the highlight reel; he plays for the result.
And in cricket, results are what end up on the board.