On Day One of the first Test between India and Bangladesh at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in this city on Wednesday, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant became the second fastest Indian batter to attain the milestone of 50 sixes in Test cricket.
After India lost K.L. Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli, Pant kept the scoreboard moving with a counterattacking 46 runs off 45 balls at a strike rate of 102.22. He also studded the innings with six fours and two sixes.
In the 32nd over of the first day's second session, he hit the milestone when he slog-swept a delectable full toss from Mehidy Hasan Miraz over deep mid-wicket for six.
He needed just 54 innings to accomplish the distinction, three fewer than Rohit Sharma, the regular captain, who needed 51. Overall, Shahid Afridi of Pakistan tops the record with 46 innings while Pant is third in terms of fastest batters to 50 Test sixes.
Pant also joined the exclusive company of Rohit, Virender Sehwag, M.S. Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, Sourav Ganguly, and Ravindra Jadeja as the seventh Indian hitter to hit 50 sixes in Test cricket.
Pant (25) reached the milestone of 4000 runs in international cricket throughout the course of the innings. However, shortly after hitting Hasan for a six to notch 50 sixes in Tests, Pant was dismissed for cutting onto his stumps off the off-spinner.