Rishabh Pant becomes first Indian batter to hit 100 Test sixes

Rishabh Pant became the first Indian batter and only the fourth player in Test cricket to hit 100 sixes when he reached the milestone during the fourth day of the opening Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Tuesday. Pant also became the fastest batter to the landmark, reaching it in his 51st Test.

Pant started the match with 97 Test sixes and had moved to 98 in India’s first innings, drawing level with West Indies great Chris Gayle. He then completed his 100th six in the second innings to move into an elite group led by former England captain Ben Stokes.

Stokes has 138 sixes in Tests, followed by New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum with 107 and Australia’s Adam Gilchrist with 100. Pant joined Gilchrist at the 100-mark, while Gayle has 98.

Among Indian batters, Pant has now moved ahead of Virender Sehwag and Rohit Sharma, who have 91 Test sixes each.

Pant’s achievement also stands out for how quickly he reached the mark.

Stokes needed 82 Tests to hit 100 sixes, while Pant reached the milestone in 51 Tests. He is now the youngest member of the 100-six club in terms of Tests played and has added another record to a Test career built around aggressive batting.

With 100 sixes already in 51 Tests, Pant is also only seven sixes behind McCullum’s 107 and 38 behind Stokes’ 138.

Pant’s record came during an important second innings for India, who were trying to extend their advantage after taking a 178-run first-innings lead.

India made 462 in the first innings, with Devdutt Padikkal scoring 167 and Dhruv Jurel making a half-century. Sri Lanka were then bowled out for 284 despite a maiden Test century from Sonal Dinusha and an 80 from Niroshan Dickwella.

Manav Suthar led India’s bowling effort with 4/76, while Ravindra Jadeja claimed 3/57. The seven wickets between the two left-arm spinners helped India secure the 178-run advantage.

Sri Lanka kept India under pressure during the opening session of Day 4, taking four wickets as the visitors looked to build a sizeable fourth-innings target.

Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for a three-ball duck in the opening over, caught behind off Asitha Fernando. KL Rahul and Padikkal then added 65 for the second wicket before Prabath Jayasuriya dismissed Rahul for 35.

Jayasuriya struck again to remove India captain Shubman Gill for eight, leaving India at 81/3. Padikkal followed for 44 off 75 balls after Keshara Nuwantha trapped him leg before wicket.

Pant and Dhruv Jurel then steadied the innings, taking India to 116/4 at lunch and extending the overall lead to 294 runs.

Later in the day, Pant continued his attack and reached 53, while India moved further ahead. The visitors were 158/5 at one stage, with Pant unbeaten and Ravindra Jadeja at the crease, according to live match updates.

India’s first Test against Sri Lanka remains firmly in the visitors’ control after the first three days, but Sri Lanka’s regular strikes on Day 4 have kept the contest alive as India look to set a target that can force a result in Galle.