Top 6 players with most sixes in a Test innings for India

Test cricket is considered as a format in which batsman takes his time to settle on the crease. It is not common for players to hit sixes in their innings in the longest format of the game. Still there are some cricketers who hit maximums at ease while batting in the longest format as well.

The advent of T20 cricket has also impacted the batsmen in Tests as the new age batsman has brought a new style of play. As a result in recent years, it has been seen that batsmen hit sixes regularly even in red ball  cricket. Let’s take a took at top Indian batsmen who have most sixes in a Test innings. It includes three batsmen who are still part of the current Indian team.      

Top-6 players with most sixes in a Test innings for India

6.Rohit Sharma – 7  Sixes vs South Africa, 2019

Rohit Sharma smacked 7 sixes in his 127-run knock against South Africa in 2019. This hundred came in the second innings of the match. India declared their innings after posting a score of 323/4 in 67 overs.

The opener batsman also smashed a ton in the first innings of this match, scoring 176 runs off 264 balls. He added 317 runs for the opening wicket along with Mayank Agarwal, who hit a double century. Mayank played a magnificent knock of 215 runs off 371 balls with the help of 23 fours and 6 sixes. 

Indian Team won this match by 203 runs after bowling out Proteas team for 191 runs in the second innings. Rohit was awarded player of the match for his twin-tons in the match.

 5.Harbhajan Singh – 7 Sixes vs New Zealand, 2010

Harbhajan Singh hit 7 sixes in his wonderful century against New Zealand in Hyderabad Test, 2010. Harbhajan scored 111 runs off only 116 balls, and hit 7 fours as well in his unbeaten knock. India were bowled out for 472 runs in their first innings in response to New Zealand’s score of 350 runs.

This was the second century of Harbhajan’s career, and he had hit his first Test century just in the previous match against Kiwi team. In the second innings, New Zealand declared after posting 448/8 in 135 overs. For them, Brendon McCullum hit a magnificent double century scoring 225 runs off 308 balls. 

The hosts had to chase a target of 327 runs in the fourth innings but there was not enough time to achieve that. They managed to put up a total of 68/0 in 17 overs they got to bat, and the match ended in a draw. Brendon McCullum was selected as player of the match for his glorious double ton.

4.Hardik Pandya – 7 Sixes vs Sri Lanka, 2017

Hardik Pandya hit an explosive century in just the second Test of his career against Sri Lanka in 2017 played in Pallekele. He blasted 108 runs off 96 balls which included a total of 7 sixes and 8 fours. Hardik completed his ton only 86 balls during this innings.

For visitors, opener Shikhar Dhawan too hit a century scoring 119 runs off 123 balls. India posted a total of 487 runs in their first innings. In response, the host team were bowled out for 135 runs and were asked to follow on. In their second innings as well,  Sri Lanka failed to perform with bat and got all-out for 181 runs

India won this match by a margin of an innings and 171 runs. Hardik Pandya was adjudged player of the match for his incredible batting performance.

3.Virender Sehwag – 7 Sixes vs Sri Lanka, 2009

Virender Sehwag fell short of creating a history when he got out for 293 runs against Sri Lanka in Mumbai Test, 2009. He would have become the first ever player to hit 3 triple centuries in Test cricket had he got 7 more runs in his innings. Sehwag hit 40 fours and 7 sixes in his explosive 254-ball knock. 

India piled up a gigantic score of 726/9 in response to Sri Lanka’s total of 393 runs. Captain MS Dhoni too had a vital contribution playing a century knock of 100 runs off 154 balls. The hosts took a lead of 333 runs in the first innings. Sri Lanka failed to save the match ultimately as they got all-out for 309 runs in their second innings, and lost the match by an innings and 24 runs.

For his marvellous double century, Sehwag was awarded player of the match. Among Indian bowlers, Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh took 6-wickets each in the Test.

2.Navjot Sidhu – 8 Sixes vs Sri Lanka, 1994

Navjot Sidhu holds the joint-record record for hitting most sixes in a Test innings for India. He smashed 8 sixes against Sri Lanka in Lucknow Test, 1994. Sidhu played a wonderful knock of 124 runs off 223 balls with the help of 9 fours and 8 maximums. 

Young prodigy Sachin Tendulkar impressed everyone in this match with his brilliant century, scoring 142 runs off 224 balls. India put up a total of 511 runs in the first innings with hundreds from Sachin and Sidhu.  

The hosts won this match by an innings and 119 runs after bowling out Sri Lankan team for 218 and 174 runs in their first and second innings. Anil Kumble was chosen as player of the match for taking 11 wickets in the Test.

1. Mayank Agarwal – 8 Sixes vs Bangladesh, 2019

Along with Navjot Sidhu, Mayank Agarwal too have hit 8 sixes in a Test innings. He smacked a double ton against Bangladesh in Indore Test, 2019 with 243 runs coming off 330 balls.  Mayank hit 28 fours as well in this superb knock.

India put up a total of 493/6 in the first innings in response to Bangladesh team’s score of 150 runs. In the second innings, the visitors were bowled out for 213 runs and lost the Test by an innings and 130 runs.

Mayank was adjudged as the player of the match for his wonderful double century. The opener had earlier hit a double century against South Africa too in the previous series.