Rishabh Pant Makes History with 100 Sixes in Test Cricket
Rishabh Pant Achieves Milestone in Galle Test
A file image of Rishabh Pant (Photo: @RishabhPant17/X)
Galle, Aug 18: Rishabh Pant has made history by becoming the first Indian cricketer to hit 100 sixes in Test matches. This remarkable achievement occurred during the fourth day of the inaugural Test between India and Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium on Tuesday.
Before this match, Pant had accumulated 97 sixes and required three more to reach this significant milestone. He struck one six in the first innings while scoring 39 runs off 62 balls, which included four boundaries. In the second innings, he hit two sixes, including a powerful shot off Lahiru Kumara that sailed out of the ground during the first session.
In the second session, Pant faced a challenging spell from Asitha Fernando and Keshara Nuwantha, who tested his skills with bouncers. He played strategically, finding regular boundaries before hitting a six over deep fine leg off Lahiru Kumara, marking his 100th six and bringing up his fifty off just 53 balls.
Pant is not only the first Indian to achieve this feat but also the fourth player globally to reach 100 sixes in Test cricket. The record is held by the recently retired Ben Stokes with 138 sixes, followed by Brendon McCullum with 107. Pant's milestone ties him with former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist, who also finished his career with 100 sixes.
Throughout his innings, Pant displayed excellent shot selection, often leaving short balls that were aimed at troubling him. He was cautious against Keshara Nuwantha, who had dismissed him in the first innings, opting for the reverse sweep to score boundaries instead of taking unnecessary risks. The 28-year-old played a crucial role for India, aiming to set a substantial target for Sri Lanka after the early dismissal of Dhruv Jurel for just seven runs.
At the break, India held a commanding lead of 294 runs, with the score at 116/4. KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal fought back after Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed by Fernando in the first over of the second innings. For Sri Lanka, Nuwantha, Prabath Jayasuriya, and Fernando were notable bowlers, with Fernando and Jayasuriya each taking two wickets, while Nuwantha claimed one at the time of this report.