Batsmen with most sixes in each batting position in Tests

Test cricket is a game that needs to be played with poise and patience. For cricketers such as Rahul Dravid, Brain Lara and Ed Cowan, it almost seems as though Test cricket was tailor made for them. However, while the elegance and class has always personified Test cricket, there are always those players who know only the aggressive approach to the game. Brendon McCullum and Virender Sehwag are prime examples to the aforementioned statement. That said, here is a list of batsmen with most sixes in each batting position in Tests. 1. Chris Gayle – 91: West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle. (Photo by MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images) West Indies opener Chris Gayle finds himself at the top with the most number of Test match sixes by an opener. An explosive opener, Chris Gayle’s strong physique enables him to clear the boundary rope with relative ease on the biggest of the grounds around the world. As a destructive opener, Gayle smashed 91 sixes in 143 innings with almost 9% of his runs scored in Tests coming from sixes. 2. Virender Sehwag – 77: Virender Sehwag. (© Getty Images) With 77 Test sixes to his name, Virender Sehwag finds himself atop the no.2 batting spot for the most number of sixes. Apart from being the only Indian, it is certainly no surprise that he features on this elite list. Quite famously, Sehwag has reached double and triple centuries with sixes on a few occasions. Having scored over 7000 runs, approximately 6.50% of his runs have come through sixes. 3. Ricky Ponting – 59: Ricky Ponting. (© Getty Images) The former Australian skipper made the crucial number 3 position his own for the better part of the last decade. Known to be an aggressive batsman, Ponting has the most number of sixes at the no.3 position with 59. He came out with positive intent and gameplay in the toughest of the situations and played his shots to counter back to dominating position. Ponting averaged almost 3 sixes per Test innings that he played. 4. Jacques Kallis – 69: Jacques Kallis. (© Gallo Images/Getty Images) Former South African Jacques Kallis perhaps one of the best all-rounders to have ever played the game. Apart from his class, perfect technique and elegance, Kallis is also known to be able to clear the boundary by a long way. His six hitting ability sees him claim the most sixes while batting at no.4 with 69 sixes to his name. Kallis averaged almost 2.46 sixes per innings. 5. Misbah-ul-Haq – 61: Misbah-ul-Haq. (© Getty Images) The current captain of the Pakistan Test side, Misbah-ul-Haq is usually seen as a slow player in the shorter formats of the game but he certainly has the ability to hit the ball out and over if we take a look at the numbers. With a low backlift, Misbah is a clean striker of the ball. He has smashed a mammoth 61 Test match maximums with 9.44% of his aggregate Test runs coming off sixes. 6. Andrew Flintoff – 42: England’s Andrew Flintoff. (Photo by IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images) One of the best all-rounders to have featured for England, Andrew Flintoff sits pretty on 42 sixes. In spite of his injuries and his reputation as an all-rounder, Flintoff gained respect as a batsman following his exploits in the 2005-06 Ashes series. With his tall and strong frame it looked easier for him to sail the ball over the ropes. Having amassed a little less than 2000 Test runs, Flintoff has scored 12% of his Test runs through sixes. 7. Adam Gilchrist – 63: Adam Gilchrist. (© Getty Images) Former Australia wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist was a naturally aggressive batsman, who liked to ‘see the ball hit the ball’. Having made the reputation of a hitter in ODIs, Gilchrist continued the same batting style as he smashed 63 sixes in his decade-long Test career. Having played 100 innings at the no 7 position, Gilly has 9.5% of his aggregate runs in sixes. 8. Wasim Akram – 32: Wasim Akram. (Photo Source: ESPNcricinfo Ltd) A genuine swing bowler for Pakistan through the 1990s, Wasim Akram starred with the bat on numerous occasions. Someone not often remembered for his contributions with the bat, the ‘Sultan of Swing’ was a more than useful lower order batsman. Akram smashed 32 sixes from the no.6 position as almost 15% of his overall runs have come off sixes. 9. Tim Southee – 29: New Zealand’s batsman Tim Southee. (Photo by SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images) Tim Southee achieved the rare distinction of overtaking Sourav Ganguly and AB de Villiers in amassing sixes in Test cricket. Having played 47 innings at the no.9 spot in the lineup, the Kiwi pacer has smashed 29 sixes. Southee never had this expectation of scoring runs, as he came in as low as 9 but has done his part to an extent. Almost a quarter of the runs he amassed at the position are courtesy of sixes. 10. Tim Southee – 17: New Zealand batsman Tim Southee. (Photo by AAMIR QURESHI/AFP/Getty Images) Southee also holds the rare distinction of featuring twice in the list and is the only player who finds multiple slots. He also clustered most maximums at the no.10 spot. Having played 14 innings there, Southee has 17 sixes to his name. Though only bowlers walk in that late in the order but outnumbering them all with his sixes is still a feat. 11. Trent Boult – 17: New Zealand batsman Trent Boult plays a shot during the fifth and the final day of the first Test cricket match between Australia and New Zealand in Brisbane on November 9, 2015. (Photo by SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images) Trent Boult is another unlikely name to feature on the list of most sixes but since this is a position wise list, he takes the no.11 place. In 43 innings, Boult has launched 17 maximums, averaging 2.53 sixes per innings and booked himself a berth here. He isn’t someone who believes in real technique or those batting terminologies and slogs his way over the boundary. All stats updated till 24th February 2016. Also read: Top 10 Batsmen with most sixes in a T20I innings