Pant Breaks Sixes Record in England with Trademark Flair

There’s truly never a dull moment when Rishabh Pant is in action. Whether he’s wielding the bat, donning the gloves behind the stumps, or simply appearing as a guest on a comedy show, Pant has a way of stealing the spotlight. But let’s stick to what he does best—making headlines on the field.

On Day 4 of the second Test between India and England at Edgbaston, Pant added another feather to his cap in the most casual way possible. He broke a world record for the most sixes hit in an away country, now sitting at 23 sixes in England, surpassing Ben Stokes’ previous record of 21 sixes in South Africa.

Pant walked in at No. 5 after KL Rahul’s stumps were shattered by Josh Tongue. Wasting no time, Pant tried to attack right away—charging a bowler who regularly clocks over 140 kph—but missed a full toss. Wicket gone? Not quite. It was a wild start. Next ball, Pant calmly defended, as if to reset. But only for a moment. What followed was vintage Pant.

He got off the mark with a pull shot for four and then launched the next ball into the stands over mid-off. That six was his 22nd in England, putting him ahead of Stokes. But Pant was just warming up.

In the very next over, he went after Ben Stokes himself. He didn’t quite get the elevation this time, but luck was on his side—Zak Crawley dropped what should have been a straightforward catch. Stokes was in disbelief, and so were most watching.

Unfazed, Pant continued to treat the match like a backyard game of book cricket. He cracked another four off Tongue and, when the bowler adjusted his line, slog-swept him for a six while almost kneeling. Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was brought on next, but Pant didn’t spare him either, dispatching him for a couple of boundaries in his first over.

Stokes kept faith in Tongue, a classic move from the England captain who believes in giving his bowlers a chance to bounce back, even after taking a beating.

Then came a moment of pure Pant. In the 34th over, while attempting a wild heave—similar to the one he played in the same ground a couple of years ago—Pant swung so hard that he lost his bat. It flew out of his hands and landed near square leg, sending the Edgbaston crowd and his teammates into fits of laughter. Jasprit Bumrah was spotted chuckling in the dressing room, and Mohammed Siraj couldn’t believe his eyes.

At lunch, Pant remained unbeaten on 41, with Shubman Gill alongside him on 24. Their entertaining stand of 51 runs had come off just 53 balls—typical of Pant, who brings chaos, thrill, and brilliance in equal measure every time he takes the field.