Rishabh Pant is on the verge of achieving a significant milestone in his Test career during the upcoming fourth Test against England at Old Trafford in Manchester, scheduled to begin on July 23, 2025. The dynamic wicketkeeper-batter is close to surpassing Virender Sehwag's record for the most sixes by an Indian in Test cricket.
Currently, Pant has hit 88 sixes in his Test career, tying him with Rohit Sharma for the second-highest number of sixes. Sehwag holds the record with 90 sixes from 104 matches. This means Pant needs just three more sixes to become the leading six-hitter for India in Test cricket.
Pant's aggressive batting style and ability to clear the boundary have made him a valuable asset to the Indian team in Test matches. His six-hitting prowess often shifts the momentum of a match. In the ongoing series against England, Pant has been in excellent form, scoring 425 runs in three matches at an average of 70.83, making him the second-highest run-scorer in the series after Shubman Gill. He has already hit two centuries and two half-centuries, including 15 sixes.
Virender Sehwag, known for his aggressive and fearless approach to batting, played 104 Test matches for India, amassing 8,586 runs at an average of 49.34. Sehwag's impact on Indian cricket is immense, as he transformed the way openers approached their innings. He also holds the record for the fastest Test century by an Indian batsman, scoring 100 runs off 99 balls against Sri Lanka. Sehwag is also the first Indian to score a triple century in Test cricket, achieving this feat twice. He scored 309 against Pakistan in Multan in 2004 and 319 against South Africa in Chennai in 2008.
While Pant is close to breaking Sehwag's record, his participation in the fourth Test was initially uncertain due to a finger injury sustained during the third Test at Lord's. Pant took a blow to his left index finger while attempting a diving stop on Day 1 of the Lord's Test. He was forced to leave the field, with Dhruv Jurel taking over wicketkeeping duties. However, Pant returned to bat and scored 74 runs in the first innings, demonstrating his resilience. Recent reports suggest Pant is fit and intends to play in the Manchester Test. A video montage of his training session was shared on social media, showing him batting fluently, sprinting, and participating in fielding drills.
Besides potentially breaking Sehwag's record, Pant is also nearing another milestone. He needs 101 more runs to break the record for the most runs by an Indian wicket-keeper in a Test series. The current record is held by Budhi Kunderan, who scored 525 runs against England in 1964.
The Indian team is currently trailing 2-1 in the five-match series against England. Besides Pant's injury scare, the team has been hit by other injury concerns. Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out of the series due to a knee injury. Akash Deep is also likely to miss the fourth Test due to a groin injury.
The fourth Test at Old Trafford is crucial for India to level the series. However, India has never won a Test match against England in Manchester. With Pant signaling his intention to play, his aggressive batting and potential record-breaking feat could provide the much-needed boost for India to achieve a historic win.
