Rishabh Pant 100th Test Sixes: India Close In On Galle Victory

By Author: Mike
Total Articles: 164
Comment this article

Rishabh Pant Creates Test Cricket History as India Close in on Sri Lanka Victory

India moved to within six wickets of victory in the opening Test against Sri Lanka after a dramatic fourth day in Galle.

The day belonged to two Indian players for very different reasons.

**Rishabh Pant** produced another attacking Test innings and reached a historic milestone by becoming the first Indian batter to hit 100 sixes in Test cricket. His 66 helped India establish a target of 372.

At the other end of the contest, left-arm spinner **Manav Suthar** delivered crucial breakthroughs as Sri Lanka slipped to 84 for four at the end of the day.

The hosts now need another 288 runs to win, while India require only six wickets.

## Rishabh Pant Reaches 100 Test Sixes

Rishabh Pant's milestone was the standout individual achievement of Day 4.

The Indian wicketkeeper-batter entered the match with 97 Test sixes. He added to his tally during the contest before reaching the historic figure of 100 in India's second innings.

Pant reached the landmark during his 66-run knock, becoming the ...
... **first Indian batter and fastest player to reach 100 sixes in Test cricket**.

He is now only the fourth batter in Test history to reach 100 sixes, joining Ben Stokes, Brendon McCullum and Adam Gilchrist.

The achievement also moved Pant beyond Virender Sehwag and Rohit Sharma, who had both hit 91 sixes in Test cricket.

Pant completed the feat in his **51st Test**, underlining the extraordinary attacking nature of his approach to the longest format.

## Pant’s Aggressive 66 Gives India a Big Advantage

The record was important, but Pant's contribution was equally valuable from India's perspective.

India needed to build a target that would put Sri Lanka under significant pressure on the fourth-innings surface.

Pant responded with a counter-attacking 66.

Devdutt Padikkal and KL Rahul also made useful contributions as India eventually finished their second innings on 193. That gave Sri Lanka a demanding target of **372 runs**.

Pant was eventually dismissed after edging Lahiru Kumara behind the wicket, but his attacking innings had already helped India establish control.

His ability to increase the scoring rate quickly remains one of the biggest advantages he brings to India's Test batting lineup.

## Manav Suthar Adds to Sri Lanka’s Problems

Pant's batting milestone dominated the headlines, but India's bowling attack ensured the hosts could not build momentum in their chase.

Manav Suthar was particularly effective.

The left-arm spinner finished the second innings with **2/30**, taking advantage of the turn and bounce available at Galle.

His wickets contributed to Sri Lanka's collapse after the hosts had begun their chase of 372.

Suthar had already impressed earlier in the Test and ended Day 4 with six wickets for 106 runs in the match.

His performance gives India another quality spin option in conditions where the surface can become increasingly difficult for batters.

## Sri Lanka Reduced to 84/4

Sri Lanka's chase got off to a difficult start.

Mohammed Siraj provided the first breakthrough when Nishan Fernando was caught in the deep after attempting to control a pull shot.

Prasidh Krishna then removed Kamindu Mendis after creating pressure with his bowling.

Suthar added another important wicket by dismissing Pasindu Sooriyabandara.

By the time play ended, Sri Lanka had lost four wickets for only 84 runs.

Captain Dhananjaya de Silva remained unbeaten on 31, while Sonal Dinusha was not out on 25.

The pair prevented further damage before stumps, but the overall equation remained heavily in India's favour.

Sri Lanka require **288 more runs**, while India need six wickets.

## A Huge Challenge Awaits Sri Lanka

The size of Sri Lanka's target makes their task particularly difficult.

The highest successful fourth-innings chase at Galle is 344, achieved by Pakistan in 2022.

Sri Lanka therefore need a performance close to the venue's record fourth-innings chase if they are to overturn India's advantage.

The pitch presents another challenge.

With spin becoming increasingly important, India's combination of Suthar, Ravindra Jadeja and other bowling resources gives the visitors several ways to attack.

Sri Lanka's remaining batters will need to concentrate on survival rather than simply chasing the required run rate.

A couple of substantial partnerships could make the final day interesting, but India have created a commanding position.

## Weather Could Still Play a Role

The Galle Test has already been affected by rain, and weather remains one potential obstacle to India's victory.

India will want maximum playing time on the final day because six wickets are still required.

Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will hope interruptions can reduce the amount of time available for India's bowlers.

Even with a huge target, Test matches can change quickly when weather, pitch conditions and partnerships become factors.

## Pant’s Test Career Continues to Produce Milestones

Pant's 100th Test six is another significant chapter in an already distinctive Test career.

His approach has always been different.

Rather than allowing the demands of Test cricket to completely restrict his natural attacking instincts, Pant has frequently used aggressive strokeplay to change the momentum of matches.

That quality was evident again in Galle.

There is also a remarkable connection between his debut and this milestone.

Pant made his Test debut in 2018 and hit a six with his second delivery against England. Eight years later, he became the first Indian batter to reach 100 Test sixes.

For a player known for fearless batting, reaching the milestone in this manner feels particularly appropriate.

## India Eye a 1-0 Lead

India now have a clear path to victory.

Pant's 66 helped create the target. India's bowlers then attacked Sri Lanka's top order and reduced the hosts to 84/4.

The final-day equation is simple:

**Sri Lanka need 288 runs.**

**India need six wickets.**

Dhananjaya de Silva and Sonal Dinusha will resume with the responsibility of keeping Sri Lanka's hopes alive.

India will look to maintain pressure from the beginning of the final day and avoid allowing a long partnership to develop.

A victory would give India a 1-0 lead in the Test series and provide valuable momentum in the wider World Test Championship campaign.

For now, however, the spotlight remains on two Indian performers.

Rishabh Pant has made history with his **100th Test six**.

Manav Suthar has helped put Sri Lanka under severe pressure.

The final chapter of the Galle Test remains to be played, but India have put themselves in an excellent position to finish the match with a victory.

### Key Takeaways

* Rishabh Pant scored 66 in India's second innings.
* Pant became the first Indian batter to reach 100 Test sixes.
* He reached the milestone in his 51st Test.
* India set Sri Lanka a target of 372 runs.
* Sri Lanka finished Day 4 at 84/4.
* Manav Suthar took 2/30 in Sri Lanka's second innings.
* Sri Lanka require 288 more runs to win.
* India need six wickets to win the Test.
* The highest successful fourth-innings chase at Galle is 344.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Who was the fastest player to reach 100 sixes in Test cricket?**

Rishabh Pant became the fastest player to reach 100 Test sixes, achieving the milestone in his 51st Test.

**How many sixes has Rishabh Pant hit in Test cricket?**

Rishabh Pant has reached 100 Test sixes, becoming the first Indian batter to achieve the milestone.

**How many runs does Sri Lanka need to win the Galle Test?**

Sri Lanka need another 288 runs after finishing Day 4 at 84/4 while chasing 372.

**How many wickets does India need to win?**

India need six more wickets to complete victory in the first Test.

**How many runs did Rishabh Pant score in the second innings?**

Pant scored 66 runs for India in the second innings.

**How did Manav Suthar perform on Day 4?**

Manav Suthar took two wickets for 30 runs in Sri Lanka's second innings, helping India maintain control of the match.

For more updates follow Cricmatch