5 Indian batters with most sixes in international cricket ft. MS Dhoni
Hitting sixes is one of the most entertaining aspects of playing as well as watching cricket. Over the years, the game has produced several batters renowned for their ability to clear the fence. Fans have flocked to cricket matches just to see their favorite players hit sixes.
West Indies' Chris Gayle, Pakistan's Shahid Afridi, Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya, Australia's Glenn Maxwell, and South Africa's AB de Villiers are some of the superstar names known for their six-hitting talent. Gayle struck 553 sixes in international cricket, Afridi hit 476 and Jayasuriya 352. 'Big Show' Maxwell has so far slammed 291, while De Villiers ended his international career with 328 sixes.
Several super-talented batters from Team India have also made a big impact over the years with their ability to hit maximums. On that note, we take a look at five Indian batters with the most number of sixes in international cricket.
#5 Yuvraj Singh (251 sixes)
Former batting all-rounder Yuvraj Singh features at No. 5 on the list of Indian cricketers with the most sixes in international cricket. Yuvraj played 402 matches (391 innings) across the three formats of the game and struck 251 sixes.
Yuvraj played 304 ODIs in which he struck 155 maximums. He also hit 74 sixes in 58 T20I matches and 22 sixes in 40 Test matches. Apart from 251 maximums, the southpaw also hit 1245 fours in international cricket. He ended his career with 11778 runs across the three formats, averaging 35.05, with 17 tons and 71 fifties.
#4 Sachin Tendulkar (264 sixes)
The legendary Sachin Tendulkar is fourth on the list of Indian batters to have hit the most sixes in international cricket. The Master Blaster played 664 matches (782 innings) across the three formats and hit 264 maximums.
The former India captain slammed 195 sixes in 463 one-dayers and 69 in 200 Test matches. He did not hit any six in the only T20I he played. Apart from sixes, he has also hit over 4000 boundaries (exact figures not known). Overall, Tendulkar is the leading run-getter in international cricket, with 34357 runs at an average of 48.52. He has 100 hundreds and 164 half-centuries to his credit.
#3 Virat Kohli (301 sixes)
Former captain Virat Kohli is in the top three on the list of Indian batters to have struck the most number of sixes in international cricket. He has so far featured in 530 matches (588 innings) across the three formats and has slammed 301 sixes.
Kohli has smashed 151 sixes in 292 ODIs, 124 in 125 T20Is, and 26 in 113 Test matches. Apart from 300-plus sixes, the 35-year-old also has 2654 fours to his name in international cricket. The right-handed batter has so far amassed 26884 runs across the three formats, averaging 53.55, with 80 tons and 140 fifties.
#2 MS Dhoni (359 sixes)
Another former captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni is second on the famed list of Indian batters with the most number of sixes in international cricket. In 538 matches (526 innings) across the three formats, he slammed 359 sixes.
The keeper-batter has whacked 229 maximums in 350 ODIs, 52 in 98 T20Is, and 78 in 90 Test matches. Apart from 359 sixes, Dhoni has also struck 1486 fours. The 43-year-old ended his international career with 17266 across the three formats at an average of 44.96, with 16 hundreds and 108 half-centuries.
#1 Rohit Sharma (612 sixes)
Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma heads the list of Indian batters to have hammered the most number of sixes in international cricket. He tops the overall list of batters with the most sixes in international cricket. The 'Hitman' has a whopping 612 sixes to his name from 480 matches (506 innings). He is followed by Gayle (553) and Afridi (476).
Rohit has clobbered 323 sixes in 262 ODIs, 205 in 159 T20Is, and 84 in 59 Tests. Apart from 612 sixes, the right-handed batter has also hit 1829 fours in international cricket. The 37-year-old has so far amassed 19077 runs across the three formats, averaging 43.25, with 48 hundreds and 104 half-centuries.
(Note: Statistics include matches played for Asia. Stats courtesy: ESPNcricinfo)