Rishabh Pant Breaks Six-Hitting Record in Tests in an Away Country
Rishabh Pant added another feather to his already impressive Test cap on Saturday (July 5) at Edgbaston, Birmingham. The dynamic wicketkeeper-batter came out to bat at No. 5 for India during the second innings of the second Test against England and smashed a quickfire 41 runs off just 35 balls in the morning session of Day 4. His aggressive innings featured five boundaries and two towering sixes, both off England pacer Josh Tongue.
The first of those sixes, launched over deep mid-wicket on the fifth ball of the 30th over, turned out to be historic. With that maximum, Pant became the player with the most sixes in Test matches played in an away country. He now has 23 sixes in Tests played in England, surpassing England’s Ben Stokes, who has 21 sixes in South Africa, and West Indies legend Vivian Richards, who had 16 sixes in England.
Most Sixes by a Batter in Tests in an Away Country
| Player | Team | Sixes | Away Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rishabh Pant | India | 23* | England |
| Ben Stokes | England | 21 | South Africa |
| Vivian Richards | West Indies | 16 | England |
Pant’s power-hitting dominance against England doesn’t end there. In 14 Tests against England, he has now hit 33 sixes, more than any other batter in India-England Test history. He is well ahead of the next best, Yashasvi Jaiswal (27 sixes), and England legend Ian Botham (24).
Most Sixes in India vs England Test Matches
| Player | Team | Sixes |
|---|---|---|
| Rishabh Pant | India | 33* |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | India | 27 |
| Ian Botham | England | 24 |
| Kapil Dev | India | 21 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | India | 19 |
Pant has also been India’s go-to man in English conditions. If he reaches a century in the second innings of this match, it would mark his fifth Test century in England, making him the first wicketkeeper in history to score five Test hundreds in England. Currently, he is tied with Matt Prior, who struck four centuries in 44 home Tests for England.
Rishabh Pant’s Test Numbers in England:
- Matches: 11
- Sixes: 23*
- Centuries: 4
- 50+ Scores: 8
- Runs: 925+
- Strike Rate: Over 70
As India seeks a commanding position in the Edgbaston Test, Pant’s counter-attacking brilliance has once again underlined his value in the longest format. Whether clearing the ropes or rewriting history, Rishabh Pant is redefining what it means to be a modern-day Test wicketkeeper-batter.
