Rishabh Pant has added another landmark to his already extraordinary Test career, becoming the fastest batter to hit 100 sixes in Test cricket during India’s first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
Pant reached the milestone on Day 4 on Tuesday, August 18, hitting Lahiru Kumara for a six on his way to a 66 off 69-ball counterattack. The landmark also made him only the fourth player in Test history to reach 100 sixes.
How many sixes has Rishabh Pant hit in Test cricket?
Pant now has 100 sixes in Test cricket, becoming the first Indian batter to reach the landmark.
He entered the Galle Test on 97 sixes and added three more during his second-innings assault to complete the milestone.
Pant had already moved past Chris Gayle’s 98 sixes before reaching three figures.
How fast did Rishabh Pant reach 100 Test sixes?
Pant reached 100 Test sixes in just 89 innings, making him the fastest batter to reach the landmark by innings.
The previous record belonged to Adam Gilchrist, who took 130 innings to hit his first 100 Test sixes.
Fastest to 100 sixes in Test cricket
| Player | Innings |
|---|---|
| Rishabh Pant | 89 |
| Adam Gilchrist | 130 |
| Ben Stokes | 151 |
| Brendon McCullum | 170 |
Pant’s record is particularly striking given the gap between his tally and those of the other players on the list.
How many Tests did Pant take to hit 100 sixes?
Pant reached 100 sixes in his 51st Test, according to the figures provided by PTI.
He therefore became the fastest player to the landmark by matches as well as innings, surpassing Ben Stokes’ previous mark of reaching 100 sixes in his 82nd Test.
Who has hit the most sixes in Test cricket?
Pant is now fourth on the all-time list for Test sixes.
The top five are:
1. Ben Stokes – 138
2. Brendon McCullum – 107
3. Adam Gilchrist- 100
4. Rishabh Pant- 100
5. Chris Gayle – 98
Pant is now just seven sixes behind McCullum and 38 behind Stokes, who currently holds the record for most sixes in Test cricket.
Which Indian has hit the most sixes in Test cricket?
Pant is now the leading Indian six-hitter in Test cricket with 100 sixes.
Virender Sehwag and Rohit Sharma are next among Indian batters, with 91 sixes each.
Pant’s achievement is notable because he has reached the mark considerably faster than his Indian predecessors.
How did Rishabh Pant reach 100 Test sixes against Sri Lanka?
Pant entered the second innings with 97 Test sixes and initially adopted a relatively cautious approach.
India were 81 for three when Pant came to the crease, following Shubman Gill’s dismissal. His first boundary came from the 13th ball he faced.
He then attacked Lahiru Kumara, hitting the fast bowler for a six that forced the umpires to replace the ball.
After Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel departed, Pant accelerated further. He attacked spinner Keshara Nuwantha for three boundaries in one over before returning to Kumara and clearing the boundary again.
That six took Pant to 100 Test sixes.
Rishabh Pant’s 100th six came during a 66-run innings
Pant’s record-breaking innings ended at 66 from 69 balls, but his attack had already helped India establish a commanding position in the Test.
The milestone was fittingly achieved in Pant’s trademark aggressive style, with the wicketkeeper-batter using power and unconventional strokeplay to put Sri Lanka’s bowlers under pressure.
His first innings in Galle had been considerably more restrained, with Pant making 39 from 62 balls before being dismissed while attempting a big shot.
The second innings provided a much more characteristic Pant performance – and another record to add to his Test career.