Test cricket was built on grit, patience, and discipline. But Rishabh Pant? He’s playing a different game. For Pant, Test cricket feels more like a T20 with scheduled snack breaks. His approach is explosive, unorthodox, and utterly irresistible — and if his current trajectory continues, he’s all set to become the greatest six-hitter in Test cricket history.
Let’s break down how fast, and how far, Pant is going.
Ben Stokes may be on top… but Pant is coming fast
Right now, the official record-holder for the most sixes in Test cricket is England’s Ben Stokes, with 133 sixes in 200 innings. But look just below him, and you’ll find Rishabh Pant already at 82 sixes in just 77 innings. That’s more sixes than innings played. He’s currently 13th on the all-time list, but among active players, he’s already No. 2. Even Chris Gayle and Adam Gilchrist can’t keep up
Chris Gayle. Yes, the Chris Gayle! He hit only 98 sixes in 182 innings.
Adam Gilchrist, widely considered the gold standard for wicketkeeper-batters, managed 100 sixes in 137 innings. Pant? He’s just 18 sixes away from Gilchrist and nearly 60 innings ahead of that pace. At just 27 years old, Pant is hunting down legends and doing it faster, louder, and with far more flair. How Pant stacks up against Indian legends Within India’s six-hitting elite, Pant is quickly climbing into rarefied air:
- Virender Sehwag: 90 sixes in 178 innings
- Rohit Sharma: 88 sixes in 116 innings
- MS Dhoni: 78 in 144 innings
- Pant: 82 in just 77 innings
He’s already left Dhoni behind, and will likely overtake Sehwag and Rohit soon, not just in sixes, but in how efficiently he’s doing it. Watch out for Jaiswal… but Pant’s role is different
Another young gun, Yashasvi Jaiswal, is turning heads too with 40 sixes in 38 innings already. But there’s context: Jaiswal opens the innings. Pant bats at No. 5, facing older balls and often rebuilding after top-order collapses. And still, he’s dominating. Final word: Pant isn’t playing Test cricket, he’s reinventing it
Pant isn’t just swinging for the fences. He’s making a statement that Test cricket doesn’t have to be slow to be significant. He’s fearless. He’s fast. And at this rate, he’s inevitable. So the next time Rishabh Pant walks out in whites, buckle up. History’s not far behind.
Also Watch: King of the Keepers: Rishabh Pant’s love affair with England continues
