Rishabh Pant Becomes First Indian, Fastest Batter To Hit 100 Test Sixes; Breaks Adam Gilchrist's Record

New Delhi: India wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant is now the first Indian and the fourth batter to hit 100 sixes in Test cricket and he did so in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Tuesday.

Has Rishab Pant become the first ever Indian to do so?

Eight years after making his debut with England in Nottinham, the 28-year-old Pant scored his milestone 100th six on his third day against Sri Lanka, on the same day. In his 39-run 1st innings tally, Pant had scored a six.

The ball change was indicated when Pant bowled his 14th ball from his second innings over long-off for a six off fast bowler Lahiru Kumara. He then crossed the milestone with a fine leg off Kumara with a hooked six to get to his fifty in 53 balls.

Pant is the first Indian and fourth batter to hit 100 sixes in the longest format after Adam Gilchrist, Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes. The former international cricketer, Stokes, who recently retired, is still the leading six-hitter in the format with 138 maximums.

What about the records?

Rishab Pant, however, achieved the milestone quicker than anybody else in terms of deliveries faced. The batsman hit the milestone in just 4918 deliveries, which is better than Gilchrist who was the first and swiftest to 100 Test sixes in 6578 deliveries. Stokes took 9042 balls to score his 100th Test, and McCullum 9756.

Pant is the second most prolific six hitter in the ICC World Test Championship with 80 sixes after Stokes (88). Former captain Rohit Sharma (88) and Ravindra Jadeja (82) are the next on the list on the Indian side following Virender Sehwag (90) for the most number of sixes.

Pant is the top six-hitter in Australia (15) and England (28) for India. He has hit 41 of his 41 in his 16 Tests at home.

Appearing in 51 matches, Pant has amassed over 3619 runs in his career at a near 44 average with eight centuries and 15 half-centuries.