Rishabh Pant surpasses Virender Sehwag to become India’s No.1 six-hitter in Test cricket
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Star wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant has hammered 92 sixes in the longest format of the game for India and has surpassed Virender Sehwag's former record of 90 sixes for India in Test cricket.
India are playing against South Africa in the third Test series of this WTC cycle, after playing against England and the West Indies earlier this year. They managed 4 wins and a draw in 7 games, with Shubman Gill appointed as the new captain of the Indian side.
Rishabh Pant faced a freak injury during the England tour, as he had a fractured foot, which ruled him out for months. Pant rehabilitated at the BCCI Centre of Excellence and then returned to action with the India A series against South Africa A before making a comeback to the Indian team.
Rishabh Pant entered his name in the history books for India in Test cricket
Rishabh Pant entered his name in the history books on the 15th of November, which is the second day of the First Test at the Eden Gardens between India and South Africa. He came out to bat after Washington Sundar was dismissed.
Rishabh batted for 24 balls, and the Indian vice-captain batted in his usual aggressive fashion. With the help of two fours and two sixes, he scored 27 runs in the innings. Pant had already hit 90 sixes and had gone past Rohit Sharma's record of the second-most sixes for India in Test cricket.
Pant, who was playing his 48th Test, needed just one six to get past the tally of former opener Virender Sehwag. He achieved the objective during the morning session of the second day's play at the Eden Gardens. He went past Sehwag's former record, having played fewer than 50+ matches and 6000 deliveries less than the former opener.
Most Sixes for India:
Rishabh Pant - 92*
Virender Sehwag - 90
Rohit Sharma - 88
Ravindra Jadeja - 80*
MS Dhoni - 78
Where does Rishabh Pant stand in the overall record for most sixes in Test cricket?
The overall record for most sixes in Test cricket is held by the legendary all-rounder Ben Stokes. He has smacked 136 sixes in 115 Tests played so far. He is then followed by New Zealand's former skipper Brendon McCullum.
The man who is third on the list is the great Australian wicket-keeper batter, Adam Gilchrist. Only these three cricketers have managed to hit more than 100 sixes in their Test careers.
If Rishabh Pant manages to hit around eight more sixes in the ongoing series against South Africa, then he will become the first Indian and the fourth cricketer overall in the World to have hit more than 100 sixes in the red-ball format.
India suffered a collapse following Skipper Shubman Gill's exit with an injury
Ever since the Indian skipper Shubman Gill struggled with an injury, which ruled him out of the ground on just 4 runs off 3 balls, the Indian team struggled. Washington Sundar was dismissed for just 29 runs despite his long stay on the pitch.
Rishabh Pant followed him after a quickfire 27, and Dhruv Jurel too was dismissed without scoring too many runs. Jurel had a convincing start before a soft dismissal by Simon Harmer off his own bowling.
Ravindra Jadeja continues to remain at the crease and builds on a partnership alongside Axar Patel. India took the lead in the second session after Lunch.
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India National Cricket Team Rishabh Pant Rohit Sharma Virender Sehwag India vs South Africa South Africa National Cricket Team
