Top 5 six-hitters in Test cricket among active players
It's a rare sight to see a batter strike a lot of sixes in Test cricket. After all, the format is one for the long grind and the low-risk, high-reward approach that generally takes centerstage.
Recent times have seen that trend being bucked. The key word here is 'Bazball', with the England men's team adopting a cavalier approach to take the game head on even in the longest format.
This approach has seen them whitewash Pakistan in their own backyard, making a statement and then some for the rest of the world to take note of. If this becomes the norm, we could just see many more sixes being hit even in Tests.
With this in mind, let's look at the top five six-hitters in Test cricket among active players.
#5 Rohit Sharma
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Indian captain Rohit Sharma is as naturally gifted a strokemaker as any and is also one of the most effortless six-hitters the sport has seen. He occupies the fifth spot on this list despite having played only 45 Tests till date.
Rohit has struck 64 sixes over 77 innings in the longest format. He also holds the record for the most sixes in a single Test, with his 13 hits over the fence against South Africa in Visakhapatnam in 2019 beating the record held by Wasim Akram.
#4 Angelo Mathews
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Angelo Mathews' Test record is one that isn't normally spoken about at length. The 100-game veteran has amassed close to 7,000 runs in the format for Sri Lanka at an average of 45.14.
While he has been extremely consistent in terms of his runs, Mathews has also struck 75 sixes in 178 innings. He currently stands fourth among active players in Test cricket as far as most sixes are concerned.
#3 Tim Southee
The name might come as a surprise, but Tim Southee's unbeaten 40-ball 77 on Test debut, studded with nine hits over the fence, was a sign. He is by no means a mug with the bat and has always added useful runs for the Blackcaps lower down the order.
With 76 sixes, the newly appointed Test skipper of New Zealand sits third as far as active players to have hit the most sixes are concerned. On some flat decks in Pakistan, he will be keen to increase that count when the Kiwis tour next week.
#2 Chris Gayle
Chris Gayle last played a Test in 2014 and an international in 2021. When quizzed about his future after the West Indies bowed out of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup last year, he mentioned that he was 'semi-retired'.
Gayle hasn't officially retired from international cricket and it is anybody's guess as to what the Universe Boss' future looks like. One wonders if he will ever return to play a Test, having struck 98 sixes in the format and being just two shy of the magical 100-mark.
#1 Ben Stokes
England's Test skipper Ben Stokes tops not just the list of the highest six-hitters among active players in the format, but also the overall charts. With 107 sixes, he is one of only three batters to have cleared the fence over 100 times in Test cricket.
Stokes equalled the record for the most sixes in Test cricket during England's just-concluded tour of Pakistan. Another maximum will make him the sole record-holder, beating none other than his coach Brendon McCullum to the pole.
Who, according to you, is the most exciting six-hitter in Test cricket today? Let us know in the comments section below!
Also read: Peter Hatzoglou - Australia's highly-rated spin talent who does it different