India vs Bangladesh 1st Test: Rishabh Pant becomes 8th Indian to hit 50 sixes, joins elite LIST with MS Dhoni and Virender Sehwag

Over the course of his knock, Rishabh Pant completed 4,000 international runs in all formats of the game as well as 50 sixes in Test cricket.

Team India management decided to promote wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant to the No. 5 position ahead of specialist batter Shreyas Iyer on Day 1 of the first Test against Bangladesh at Chattogram on Wednesday (December 14). Pant was sent to rattle the Bangladesh spinner, who were on top after back-to-back wickets of KL Rahul and Virat Kohli with India struggling at 55 for 3.

Pant smashed 2 sixes and 6 fours en route to scoring 46 off 45 balls. Over the course of his knock, Pant completed 4,000 international runs in all formats of the game as well as 50 sixes in Test cricket.

The Delhi Capitals captain became the second-fastest Indian to hit 50 sixes in Test cricket after Rohit Sharma. While Pant achieved the feat in 54 innings, Rohit had taken 51 innings.

Pant is only the eighth Indian batter to hit 50 sixes in Test cricket. Former India opener Virender Sehwag leads the way with 91 sixes in 180 innings while former India captain MS Dhoni had 78 sixes in 144 innings.

Following is the list of Indians with more than 50 sixes in Test cricket…

1. Virender Sehwag – 91 sixes

2. MS Dhoni – 78 sixes

3. Sachin Tendulkar – 69 sixes

4. Rohit Sharma – 64 sixes

5. Kapil Dev – 61 sixes

6. Sourav Ganguly – 57 sixes

7. Ravindra Jadeja – 55 sixes

8. Rishabh Pant – 50 sixes

Meanwhile, an unbeaten 62-run stand between Shreyas Iyer and Cheteshwar Pujara guided India to 174 for 4 at Tea during the first Test against Bangladesh at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram. India managed to score 89 runs for the loss of one wicket in 30 overs during the second session, placing the team in a respectable position.

At Tea, Iyer (41 not out) and Pujara (42 not out) were at the crease. Resuming the innings at 85/3, India looked dominant with Rishabh Pant continuing his onslaught as he became the fastest to hit 50 sixes in test matches.

After the lunch break, Bangladesh missed a trick when they dropped Pujara on the second ball after lunch. Bangladesh got some respite in the wicket of Pant as he gave away his wicket while trying to dominate the bowlers. He looked in ominous touch in his 45-ball stay in which he scored 46 runs with the help of six boundaries and two towering sixes.

(with ANI inputs)