GALLE — Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant made history on Tuesday by becoming the first Indian cricketer to hit 100 sixes in Test cricket. He achieved the feat on Day 4 of the first Test match between India and Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium.

Entering the match with 97 sixes, the 28-year-old needed three maximums to reach the milestone. He struck one six during his first-innings knock of 39 runs from 62 balls, which also included four boundaries, before clearing the ropes twice in the second innings.

Pant hit his first maximum of the second innings off Lahiru Kumara out of the ground during the opening session. In the second session, he navigated spells from Asitha Fernando and Keshara Nuwantha before hooking Kumara over deep fine leg for his 100th Test six, simultaneously bringing up his half-century off 53 deliveries.

Pant is now the fourth player in Test cricket history to reach a century of sixes, joining an elite global list:

• Ben Stokes: 138 sixes
• Brendon McCullum: 107 sixes
• Adam Gilchrist: 100 sixes
• Rishabh Pant: 100 sixes

During his innings, Pant showed measured shot selection against short deliveries and effectively used the reverse sweep against off-spinner Nuwantha, who had dismissed him in the first innings.

India lost Yashasvi Jaiswal to Fernando in the opening over of the second innings, while Dhruv Jurel fell early in the second session for seven runs. Resolute contributions from KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal helped India reach 116/4 at the break, establishing a 294-run lead. For Sri Lanka, Fernando and Prabath Jayasuriya took two wickets each, while Nuwantha claimed one.