Top 5 players with most sixes for India in T20Is since Suryakumar Yadav's debut ft. Hardik Pandya
Team India T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav scripted history during the series opener against Bangladesh recently in Gwalior. The right-hander, following his three sixes during the run chase, went past Jos Buttler in the all-time T20I six-hitting record.
The England white-ball skipper had held the fourth spot with 137 sixes in 114 innings, but Suryakumar Yadav managed to breach the mark in just 69 appearances. He has been notching sixes, right from his very first ball in international cricket, at a consistent rate to be revered as one of the best batters that the format has ever seen.
Another huge factor behind the staggering number of sixes in limited innings, is the change in India's mindset. The intent-based approach, particularly since the 2021 T20 World Cup, ramped up even further after the 2022 edition, has augured well for Suryakumar Yadav.
The Indian batter is not far away from the third spot, but will face stiff competition from the equally dangerous Nicholas Pooran. The West Indies wicketkeeper-batter has 144 sixes in 90 innings. Rohit Sharma holds the top spot with 205 maximums in 151 innings over the course of a career that spanned 17 years,
On that note, let us take a look at five players with the most sixes for India in T20Is since Suryakumar Yadav's debut.
#1 Suryakumar Yadav (139 sixes)
The Indian T20I skipper is unmatched when it comes to six-hitting since his debut in 2021. His bold approach, coupled with his ability to exploit every area of the ground has helped him rack up sixes on a consistent basis, while maneuvering the field.
Almost half of his sixes came in 2022, where he played 31 T20Is, which includes India's lead up to the 2022 T20 World Cup, and the tournament itself where he had a fine run. The tally of 68 sixes is the record for most sixes in a calendar year, with the second best being a distant 54 by UAE's Mohammed Waseem in 2023.
#2 Rohit Sharma (78 sixes)
Rohit Sharma's name is synonymous when it comes to six-hitting. Regardless of the format, he has been able to use his ability to read length, the gift of timing, and sheer power to effortlessly hit sixes.
Shortly after Suryakumar Yadav made his debut, Rohit Sharma was entrusted with the T20I captaincy. He had the task of guiding India to the new-age approach, and led from the front when it came to intent. The intent-driven approach saw Rohit Sharma take on the bowlers from the word go, resulting in hitting sixes on a consistent basis.
The former skipper had never breached the 10-six mark for a year until 2016. Appearances gradually soared with the growth of T20s, and so did Rohit's six returns. He slammed more than a third of his sixes after Suryakumar Yadav's debut which was three years ago.
#3 Hardik Pandya (56 sixes)
The all-rounder is not unfamiliar with sixes by any means, playing in the lower middle-order for India and finishing games for the side. His six-hitting ability saw a slight dip in between, especially after he sustained two significant injuries during the timeframe. However, Pandya is still one of the best clean strikers of the ball in the Indian setup.
He has already recorded double figures this year when it comes to hitting sixes, and the number will only rise given his importance in the Indian setup during the road to the 2026 T20 World Cup.
#4 Virat Kohli (43 sixes)
Not traditionally known as a six-hitter, Kohli has evolved, adapted, and matched the tempo of the modern format to incorporate maximums into his game on a more consistent basis. His meteoric spike in sixes in the 2024 IPL compared to the previous seasons proves that.
Suryakumar Yadav had instantly forged a chemistry with Virat Kohli after his debut, given how their playing styles complemented each other. While Suryakumar went berserk from one end, Kohli played the anchor role from the other, giving the former freedom to play his game.
His role did not necessarily demand sixes, but Kohli found ways to punish the bad balls and record 43 sixes from 2021 to his T20I retirement.
#5 Yashasvi Jaiswal (38 sixes)
A firm favorite to take on the tag of 'six-hitter' from Rohit Sharma across formats in the long run, the left-handed batter has been relentless since his debut. Despite only making his T20I debut a year ago, he has already broke into the top five for most sixes recorded over the last three years.
He scored 22 T20I sixes in his first year of T20I cricket in 14 innings. The number is bound to keep increasing now that India are in search of a new opening combination. With 38 sixes in 22 innings so far in T20I cricket, his six-per-innings ratio is not that far away from Suryakumar's, and if his start is any evidence, there is plenty more to come if he can continue at this rate.