Rishabh Pant Sets New Record as Leading Six-Hitter in ICC World Test Championship

Rishabh Pant Breaks Records in Test Match Against England

Leeds [UK], June 21: Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has made history by surpassing former captain Rohit Sharma to become the leading six-hitter in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC).

This milestone was achieved during the first Test against England at Leeds, where Pant scored an impressive 134 runs off 178 balls, hitting 12 fours and six sixes at a remarkable run rate exceeding 75.

With this performance, Pant's total sixes in WTC now stands at 62, eclipsing Rohit's previous record of 56 in 40 Tests. The 27-year-old accomplished this in just 35 matches, amassing 2,386 runs at an average of 41.85, including five centuries and 13 fifties throughout his WTC career.

Currently, the record for the most sixes in ICC WTC history is held by England's captain Ben Stokes, who has hit 83 sixes in 54 Tests.

Additionally, Pant has surpassed MS Dhoni to become the Indian wicketkeeper-batter with the most Test centuries, now boasting seven centuries. This achievement is particularly notable as it marks his fifth century in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) conditions, the highest by any Asian player. Out of these, three centuries were scored in England, with one each in Australia and South Africa.

Pant has also matched Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara's record of seven centuries as a designated keeper among all Asian countries.

Earlier in the match, Pant reached the milestone of 3,000 Test runs, becoming only the second Indian wicketkeeper-batter to achieve this feat after Dhoni. He has now surpassed Dhoni to become Asia's most successful wicketkeeper-batter in SENA based on run count.

In his 44 Tests for India, Pant has accumulated 3,082 runs at an average of 43.40, with seven centuries and 15 fifties across 76 innings, maintaining an impressive strike rate of 73.69.

In the ongoing match, England chose to bowl first. India posted a total of 471 all out, thanks to centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal (101 runs off 159 balls, including 16 fours), captain Shubman Gill (147 runs off 227 balls, with 19 fours and a six), and Pant (134 runs off 178 balls, featuring 12 fours and six sixes). England's top bowlers were skipper Ben Stokes (4/66) and Josh Tongue (4/86).