Top Cricketers With Most Sixes In Test (2024 List)

Test cricket, often seen as a game of patience and technique, has witnessed its fair share of power hitting over the years. This article explores the records for most sixes in Test cricket, both in career totals and in a single innings. 

We’ll look at the players who have cleared the boundary most often in their careers and those who have hit the most sixes in a single innings of test cricket.

Most Sixes In Test Cricket: Career Records

Some batsmen have made six-hitting a regular feature of their Test batting. 

Let’s look at the top 20 performers in this category:

Player	Team	Span	Mat	Inns	Runs	Avg	Sixes	Fours
BA Stokes	England	2013-2024	106	192	6546	35.57	131	762
BB McCullum	New Zealand	2004-2016	101	176	6453	38.64	107	776
AC Gilchrist	Australia	1999-2008	96	137	5570	47.60	100	677
CH Gayle	West Indies	2000-2014	103	182	7214	42.18	98	1046
JH Kallis	South Africa	1995-2013	166	280	13289	55.37	97	1488
TG Southee	New Zealand	2008-2024	103	148	2180	15.91	93	210
V Sehwag	India	2001-2013	104	180	8586	49.34	91	1233
RG Sharma	India	2013-2024	62	107	4233	43.63	88	464
BC Lara	West Indies	1990-2006	131	232	11953	52.88	88	1559
CL Cairns	New Zealand	1989-2004	62	104	3320	33.53	87	365
AD Mathews	Sri Lanka	2009-2024	114	202	7940	45.37	87	808
IVA Richards	West Indies	1974-1991	121	182	8540	50.23	84	952
A Flintoff	England	1998-2009	79	130	3845	31.77	82	513
ML Hayden	Australia	1994-2009	103	184	8625	50.73	82	1049
Misbah-ul-Haq	Pakistan	2001-2017	75	132	5222	46.62	81	511
KP Pietersen	England	2005-2014	104	181	8181	47.28	81	985
MS Dhoni	India	2005-2014	90	144	4876	38.09	78	544
RT Ponting	Australia	1995-2012	168	287	13378	51.85	73	1509
CH Lloyd	West Indies	1966-1985	110	175	7515	46.67	70	712
Younis Khan	Pakistan	2000-2017	118	213	10099	52.05	70	1082

Ben Stokes tops the list with 131 sixes, showcasing his aggressive batting style. The English all-rounder has hit more sixes than anyone else in Test history. Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum follows with 107 sixes. 

Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist rounds out the top three with 100 sixes. 

Chris Gayle and Jacques Kallis, known for their contrasting playing styles, both feature in the top five. The power-hitter Rohit Sharma is approaching fast to the top of the list with 88 sixes in just 62 matches. It’s just a matter of time before he will be in the top five of the list. 

Most Sixes In A Test Innings

While career records show consistency, single-innings performances highlight a batsman’s dominance on a particular day. 

Here’s a table showing the top 10 performances for most sixes in a Test innings:

Player	Team	Runs	Balls	Opponent	Fours	Sixes	Venue	Date
Wasim Akram	Pakistan	257*	363	Zimbabwe	22	12	Sheikhupura	17 Oct 1996
YBK Jaiswal	India	214	236	England	14	12	Rajkot	15 Feb 2024
NJ Astle	New Zealand	222	168	England	28	11	Christchurch	13 Mar 2002
ML Hayden	Australia	380	437	Zimbabwe	38	11	Perth	09 Oct 2003
BB McCullum	New Zealand	202	188	Pakistan	21	11	Sharjah	26 Nov 2014
BB McCullum	New Zealand	195	134	Sri Lanka	18	11	Christchurch	26 Dec 2014
BA Stokes	England	258	198	South Africa	30	11	Cape Town	02 Jan 2016
BKG Mendis	Sri Lanka	245	291	Ireland	18	11	Galle	24 Apr 2023
WR Hammond	England	336*	–	New Zealand	34	10	Auckland	31 Mar 1933
CL Cairns	New Zealand	120	96	Zimbabwe	10	9	Auckland	20 Jan 1996

Wasim Akram, primarily known for his bowling, holds the record for most sixes in a Test innings. His 257* against Zimbabwe included 12 sixes, a feat recently matched by India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Jaiswal’s innings is the most recent entry in the top performances. In February 2024, the young Indian opener smashed 12 sixes in his knock of 214 against England in Rajkot. This inning announced Jaiswal’s arrival on the big stage and showed his ability to dominate even in the longest format.

Nathan Astle’s incredible 222 against England in 2002 came off just 168 balls, including 11 sixes. This remains one of the fastest double centuries in Test cricket.

Matthew Hayden’s mammoth 380 against Zimbabwe in 2003 included 11 sixes, proving that even in long innings, power-hitting can play a crucial role.

Brendon McCullum features twice in the top five list for most sixes in an innings, highlighting his consistent aggressive approach to Test batting.

Related Posts:

• Most Runs In Test Cricket 
• Most Hundreds In IPL

Conclusion: Ben Stokes Holds The Record For The Most Sixes In Test Cricket

The trend of hitting sixes in Test cricket has evolved over the years. Modern batsmen, influenced by limited-overs cricket, are more willing to take aerial routes even in the longest format. Players like Stokes, McCullum, and Gilchrist have shown that aggressive batting can be effective in Test matches.

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s recent entry into this elite list suggests that the next generation of Test batsmen might continue to push boundaries. His innings proves that even young players are now comfortable with power-hitting in Tests.

As Test cricket continues to evolve, we might see more entries in these lists. But the essence of Test batting – the ability to play long innings and adapt to changing conditions – will always remain crucial. Six-hitting adds excitement to the game, but it’s the overall batting skills that define greatness in Test cricket.