COLOMBO: Rishabh Pant added another major achievement to his growing list of Test records on Monday, surpassing Australian great Adam Gilchrist to become the third-highest six-hitter in Test cricket. Pant reached the landmark during India's second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo, underlining once again why his aggressive approach has made him one of the most distinctive wicketkeeper-batters in the format.
Pant hit two sixes during his 63-run innings from 89 deliveries, taking his career tally to 102 sixes in 52 Tests. In doing so, he moved past Gilchrist's 100 sixes, which the former Australia wicketkeeper accumulated in 96 Tests.
The achievement is particularly striking because Pant has reached the mark in almost half the number of matches played by Gilchrist.
Pant climbs into elite six-hitting company
Pant's latest milestone places him behind only two players on the all-time Test six-hitting list.
England's Ben Stokes currently leads with 138 sixes in 122 Tests, while former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum is second with 107 sixes in 101 matches. Pant is now third with 102 maximums.
The numbers underline the exceptional attacking nature of Pant's Test batting.
Test cricket traditionally rewards patience, defence and the ability to occupy the crease for long periods. Pant, however, has consistently challenged that conventional approach. His willingness to attack spin and pace alike has produced an unusually high number of sixes for a player in the longest format.
His latest achievement also means Pant is now the highest six-hitting wicketkeeper in Test history, moving beyond the record established by Gilchrist, one of the most influential attacking wicketkeeper-batters of the modern era.
A record that reflects Pant's unique batting style
Pant's ability to score rapidly has been a defining feature of his Test career.
Rather than waiting for scoring opportunities, he often puts pressure on bowlers by using unconventional strokes, aggressive footwork and powerful hitting. That approach can carry risks, but it has also produced match-changing innings in difficult conditions.
His six-hitting record is therefore more than a statistical curiosity. It reflects the way Pant has changed the role of a wicketkeeper-batter in India's Test side.
Earlier generations of wicketkeepers were often primarily valued for their glovework, with batting considered an important secondary skill. Pant has increasingly blurred that distinction, becoming a middle-order batting weapon capable of changing the momentum of a Test match.
Pant's 63-run innings becomes a record-filled knock
The Colombo innings was significant for reasons beyond the six-hitting record.
Pant had been forced to retire hurt on the opening day after being struck on his left wrist. The injury created uncertainty over whether he would be able to continue batting in the match. He returned on the second day and produced an important contribution for India.
His 63-run knock included six fours and two sixes. Those two maximums were enough to take him past Gilchrist.
The innings also helped Pant reach several other career milestones on the same day, making his return from the injury scare particularly noteworthy.
Pant breaks MS Dhoni's overseas wicketkeeper record
During the same innings, Pant surpassed another Indian wicketkeeping legend, MS Dhoni.
Pant moved beyond Dhoni's tally of 2,496 runs to become India's highest run-scorer by a designated wicketkeeper in away or neutral Test matches.
He reached 2,534 runs in 36 Tests and 64 innings, averaging 41.54, with six centuries and 11 fifties. Dhoni finished his Test career with 2,496 runs in 48 matches, including one century and 18 fifties.
The achievement is particularly significant because Dhoni's contribution to India's Test cricket remains one of the benchmarks against which Indian wicketkeepers are measured.
Pant has now moved beyond that mark despite having played fewer matches.
Another major WTC record follows
Pant's record-breaking day continued when he also surpassed India captain Shubman Gill to become India's leading run-scorer in World Test Championship history.
Pant's WTC tally reached 2,948 runs in 42 matches and 74 innings, at an average of 42.11 and a strike rate above 74. His record includes six centuries, 18 fifties and a highest score of 146.
Gill had accumulated 2,917 runs in 42 matches, with 10 centuries and nine fifties.
That milestone highlights another aspect of Pant's importance to India's modern Test campaign: his influence has extended across multiple WTC cycles and overseas assignments.
Pant had already made history in Galle
The latest Colombo record comes only days after Pant achieved another landmark against Sri Lanka.
During the first Test in Galle, he became the first Indian batter to hit 100 sixes in Test cricket. He reached the milestone in his 51st Test, making him the fastest player to the mark at that time.
His move beyond 100 sixes was itself historic. But overtaking Gilchrist so quickly has added another dimension to the achievement.
Gilchrist was one of the pioneers of aggressive wicketkeeper batting in Test cricket, particularly during Australia's dominant era. Pant's rise past his six-hitting tally places him alongside a player whose style has often been cited as an influence on the modern generation of attacking wicketkeepers.
Ben Stokes and McCullum now in Pant's sights
With 102 Test sixes, Pant is only five behind McCullum's 107.
That means the second position on the all-time list is within realistic reach if Pant maintains his current approach and remains fit.
Stokes, meanwhile, has a considerably larger lead with 138 sixes. But Pant's rate of accumulation is striking.
Pant has reached 102 sixes in 52 Tests, compared with McCullum's 107 in 101 and Gilchrist's 100 in 96.
The comparison shows just how frequently Pant has cleared the boundary in the longest format.
The bigger picture for Indian cricket
Pant's record-breaking performance comes at an important stage of his career.
At 28, he has already accumulated a collection of major records involving Indian wicketkeepers and Test cricket's most aggressive batters. His latest achievements against Sri Lanka show that he continues to combine statistical consistency with the attacking style that made him a global name.
His ability to score quickly can be particularly valuable in Test matches because it allows India to change the tempo of an innings. A few aggressive overs from Pant can turn a defensive position into an attacking one, put pressure back on bowlers and give the captain additional tactical options.
At the same time, his approach means there is always an element of risk. Pant's value to India comes from maintaining the balance between controlled aggression and shot selection.
Colombo becomes another chapter in Pant's record book
What began as a worrying injury episode on the first day of the Colombo Test has turned into another record-filled chapter of Pant's career.
He returned to the crease, scored 63, surpassed Dhoni as India's leading away/neutral Test run-scorer among wicketkeepers, moved past Gill in WTC runs and then overtook Gilchrist in Test sixes.
The Gilchrist record is arguably the most symbolic of the lot.
The Australian legend helped redefine what an attacking wicketkeeper could contribute to Test cricket. Pant is now rewriting the same record in his own fashion.
With 102 Test sixes already in the bag and McCullum's 107 within reach, Pant's record-breaking journey is far from over. If his aggressive style continues to deliver, the next target on the list may not be far away.
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