Rishabh Pant has etched his name into the Test record books once again, becoming the first Indian batter to hit 100 sixes in Test cricket.
The India wicketkeeper-batter reached the landmark during the fourth day of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Tuesday, August 18, becoming only the fourth batter in Test history to achieve the feat.
Pant also set another remarkable record in the process.
He reached 100 Test sixes in just 51 matches, making him the fastest batter to the milestone. England's Ben Stokes previously held the record, having needed 82 Tests to reach three figures.
Pant Joins Elite Company
Pant entered the fourth day of the Galle Test on 97 Test sixes.
He moved to 98 in India's first innings, drawing level with West Indies great Chris Gayle before completing the landmark during India's second innings.
The achievement puts Pant alongside some of the most destructive batters in Test history.
Only three players had previously reached 100 sixes in the format:
- Ben Stokes – England: 138 sixes
- Brendon McCullum – New Zealand: 107 sixes
- Adam Gilchrist – Australia: 100 sixes
- Rishabh Pant – India: 100 sixes
Pant's achievement is particularly significant because he has reached the mark in substantially fewer matches than the players ahead of him.
Pant Overtakes India’s Greatest Six-Hitters
Pant's milestone also puts him clear at the top of India's Test six-hitting charts.
Virender Sehwag and Rohit Sharma are currently joint-second among Indian batters, with 91 sixes each.
Pant has therefore moved nine sixes clear of the pair and has achieved the record at just 28 years of age.
The full list of the leading Test six-hitters is now:
| Rank | Batter | Team | Test Sixes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ben Stokes | England | 138 |
| 2 | Brendon McCullum | New Zealand | 107 |
| 3 | Adam Gilchrist | Australia | 100 |
| 4 | Rishabh Pant | India | 100 |
| 5 | Chris Gayle | West Indies | 98 |
Another Milestone in a Remarkable Test Career
Pant's ability to change the tempo of Test matches has been one of the defining features of his career.
His aggressive approach has produced some of India's most memorable Test innings, particularly overseas, where his ability to attack both pace and spin has repeatedly disrupted opposition bowling plans.
Reaching 100 sixes in only 51 Tests underlines just how unusual his approach has been.
The comparison with Ben Stokes is particularly striking. While Stokes eventually moved well beyond the 100 mark, Pant needed only 51 Tests to reach a milestone that took the England captain 82 matches to achieve.
Pant's record is also another reminder of how dramatically he has changed the role of the modern Test wicketkeeper-batter.
Pant’s Galle Landmark Adds to Historic Test
The milestone came during an already significant Test for Indian cricket.
The match in Galle is India's 600th Test, making the occasion one of the biggest landmarks in the country's long Test history.
Pant has now added his own piece of history to the occasion.
India entered the fourth day in a commanding position after setting Sri Lanka a daunting 372-run target for victory.
With sixes having become such a prominent part of Pant's Test batting, his latest achievement was fittingly completed during another high-pressure phase of an important Test match.
At 100 sixes and counting, Pant now has only Stokes and McCullum ahead of him among active or recently active Test batters.
Given his age and aggressive style, the Indian wicketkeeper has a realistic chance of challenging both before the end of his Test career.
For now, though, the record belongs to Pant.
