Rishabh Pant breaks Viv Richards, Chris Gayle’s record to become greatest six-hitter on Australian soil
Published - 04 Jan 2025, 12:49 PM | Updated - 04 Jan 2025, 11:35 PM
Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant came out with an aggressive batting approach in India's second innings on Day 2 of the fifth Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT). Rishabh Pant surpassed legendary cricketers like Chris Gayle, Sir Viv Richards, Clive Lloyd, and Rohit Sharma in an elite list of batters.
Scott Boland dismissed Virat Kohli, who scored just six runs, on the first ball of the 14th over of India's second innings. Rishabh Pant then entered at No. 5 when the Indian cricket team was struggling at 59/3. On his very first delivery, Pant charged down the pitch and smashed Boland for a six over long-on.
Rishabh Pant Breaks Chris Gayle's Long-Standing Six Record
It was the seventh instance of an Indian batter hitting a six off the first ball of an innings in Test cricket, with Pant becoming only the second player to do so in an away Test. The left-handed batter continued his assault against Australia with four boundaries and reached his half-century mark off 29 balls, the second fastest by an Indian ever.
The southpaw scored 61 runs off 33 balls with the help of six boundaries and four sixes. Australia skipper Pat Cummins dismissed Pant to give a much-needed breakthrough for his team. Pant has set a new record for the most Test sixes by a visiting batter in Australia, surpassing Chris Gayle’s tally.
Pant now leads the list, followed by Chris Gayle and Viv Richards with 12 each. Stuart Broad smashed 11, while Clive Lloyd and Rohit Sharma have 10 each. Pant has also climbed into the top 4 in India's all-time list for most Test sixes, with 73* to his name in the longest international format of the game.
Most Test Sixes Among Visiting Batters in Australia:
| Player | Team | Matches | Runs | Average | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rishabh Pant | IND | 12 | 879 | 46.26 | 15 |
| Chris Gayle | WI | 5 | 449 | 49.88 | 12 |
| Vivian Richards | WI | 22 | 1760 | 47.56 | 12 |
| Stuart Broad | ENG | 15 | 333 | 15.85 | 11 |
| Clive Lloyd | WI | 20 | 1616 | 48.96 | 10 |
| Rohit Sharma | IND | 10 | 439 | 24.38 | 10 |
| Ian Bell | ENG | 15 | 895 | 37.29 | 9 |
| Ian Botham | ENG | 18 | 937 | 30.22 | 9 |
| Virender Sehwag | IND | 11 | 1031 | 46.86 | 9 |
Most Test Sixes By India Batters in Tests:
| Player | Matches | Runs | Average | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virender Sehwag | 103 | 8503 | 49.43 | 90 |
| Rohit Sharma | 67 | 4301 | 40.57 | 88 |
| MS Dhoni | 90 | 4876 | 38.09 | 78 |
| Rishabh Pant | 43 | 2948 | 42.11 | 73 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 80 | 3364 | 35.04 | 69 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 200 | 15921 | 53.78 | 69 |
Australia Bowled Out for 181 Runs, Conceding 4-run Lead to India
India posted 185 runs in their first innings, with Rishabh Pant top-scoring with 40. Australia ended Day 1 at 9-1 after three overs. On Day 2, India's bowlers reduced Australia to 96-5. Debutant Beau Webster then steadied the Australian innings with a crucial 57-run knock, helping them reach 181.
Yashasvi Jaiswal made an aggressive start, hitting Mitchell Starc for four boundaries in the opening over. India seemed in a strong position with 39-0 after seven overs, but Scott Boland turned the tide. At the stumps, India was 141-6, with Ravindra Jadeja (8) and Washington Sundar (6) at the crease.
Also read: Watch: 4,4,4,4! Yashasvi Jaiswal destroys Mitchell Starc in 1st over as pacer hits historic low
