Published on: Aug 19, 2026 2:31 pm IST|Updated on: Aug 19, 2026 2:31 pm IST
Indian wicket-keeper batter scripted history on the 4th day of the 1st Test at Galle against Sri Lanka by becoming the fastest to smash 100 sixes in Test cricket. In doing so, he shattered Australian veteran wicket-keeper batter Adam Gilchrist’s record. The 28-year-old power-hitter reached the landmark off just 4,918 deliveries, comfortably shattering the long-standing record held by Australian legendary wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist, who had reached 100 sixes in 6,578 balls.
Rishabh Pant came out to bat in the second innings of the Galle Test with 98 sixes under his belt. Pant unleashed his trademark style, attacking the bowlers at will on his course of 66 from 69 deliveries. He launched two clean maximums in his innings to enter the elite 100-six club and become the only Indian to achieve this feat, leaving behind legends like Virender Sehwag (91 sixes) and Rohit Sharma (88 sixes).
With this milestone, Pant joins an ultra-exclusive group as only the fourth batter in the history of Test cricket to clear the boundary 100 times. The gap in balls faced between Pant and the rest of the batters highlights his unprecedented rate of scoring:
Brendon McCullum: 9,756 balls
Rishabh now stands third on the list of batters with the most sixes in Test cricket. The list is currently led by former English skipper Ben Stokes, followed by former New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum with 106 and 101 sixes, respectively. The table below highlights the top batters with the highest number of sixes in the history of Test cricket.
What stands out for Rishabh Pant from the above table is the number of matches the Indian wicket-keeper batter has taken to reach the milestone of 100 sixes in Test match cricket. In just 51 Test matches and 89 innings, Rishabh has achieved this feat, whereas the ones above him, i.e., Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, have played 106 and 101 Test matches, respectively. Both Stokes and McCullum have now retired from the game, making it an easy task for Rishabh to leapfrog them and clinch the top spot on the table sooner rather than later.
Team India closed out the Galle Test on the final day by defeating Sri Lanka by a huge margin of 165 runs. The standout performers for the visitors were the left-arm spinner Manav Suthar and left-hand batter Devdutt Padikkal. The Karnataka batter, playing only his 3rd Test, scored a magnificent ton in the first innings, i.e., 167, and followed it up with a crucial 44 in the second innings. His gutsy display with the bat earned him the rightful Player of the Match award.
Manav Suthar, India’s latest left-arm spin sensation from Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, picked up a 10-wicket haul in the game. He picked up 4 for 76 in the first innings and followed it up with a 6-wicket haul in the second innings, giving away only 55 runs. His match figures of 10 for 131 stood out for Team India in their win. The 2nd and final Test match of the series will be played at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on August 23, with Team India leading 1-0.