IND vs ENG: Rishabh Pant creates history, overtakes Rohit Sharma in elite World Test Championship list

In a remarkable display of power and fearless stroke play, Rishabh Pant has surpassed Rohit Sharma to become India’s leading six-hitter in the history of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC). This significant achievement came during his match-defining innings of 134 runs off 178 balls against England on Day 2 of the first Test at Headingley.

Pant's innings, characterized by 12 fours and 6 sixes was executed at an impressive strike rate exceeding 75, playing a crucial role in propelling India to a first-innings total of 471. With this latest milestone, Pant has now accumulated 62 sixes in WTC matches, eclipsing Rohit Sharma's tally of 56 sixes across 40 matches. Notably, Pant has achieved his 62 sixes in just 35 matches, underscoring the significance of his accomplishment.

The aggressive left-hander now ranks second in the WTC six-hitting leaderboard, trailing only England captain Ben Stokes, who leads with 83 sixes in 54 matches. Pant's consistency and audacious approach continue to redefine the standards of wicket-keeping and batting in modern Test cricket.

In addition to this six-hitting milestone, Pant reached several historic landmarks during his innings:

- He surpassed MS Dhoni to become the most prolific Test century scorer among Indian wicketkeeper-batters, now boasting 7 Test centuries compared to Dhoni’s 6.

- He joined Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara for the most Test centuries by an Asian designated wicketkeeper, with both players having 7 centuries to their names.

- Pant achieved the record for the most centuries in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) conditions by an Asian batter. With 5 centuries in these challenging environments—including 3 in England and 1 each in Australia and South Africa—he has demonstrated exceptional temperament abroad.

- He crossed the 3,000-run mark in Test cricket, becoming only the second Indian wicketkeeper-batter after Dhoni.

After England elected to bowl first, India seized the opportunity, showcasing a formidable batting performance led by three centurions: Yashasvi Jaiswal (101 runs),  Shubman Gill (147 runs), and Rishabh Pant (134 runs).

India concluded their first innings with an impressive total of 471 runs. England's bowling attack was spearheaded by Ben Stokes, who claimed 4 wickets for 66 runs, and Josh Tongue, who also took 4 wickets, conceding 86 runs. Rishabh Pant's innings, in particular, garnered significant attention for its remarkable combination of aggression and composure, underscoring its historic significance in the match.

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