Pant now has exactly 100 sixes in Test cricket, trailing only New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum, who has 107 sixes, and England’s Ben Stokes, with 138. He also set the record for the fewest balls taken to reach 100 sixes, achieving the feat in 4,918 deliveries, surpassing the previous record held by Australian Adam Gilchrist, who took 6,578 balls. Pant’s ratio of balls per six is ​​49.2, the best among batsmen with at least 100 sixes.

Although Pant’s pursuit of a century ended at 66, this year he has scored 186 runs in three innings across two Tests, with a highest score of 81 and a strike rate of 73.80. Pant’s last Test century was during his twin hundreds against England at Leeds last year.

In the ongoing match, India had lost six wickets but maintained a lead of over 350 runs. Despite India’s substantial lead, Sri Lanka continued to challenge with regular wickets during the first session on day four of the Galle Test on Tuesday. At the end of the session, India were 116 for 4, with Rishabh Pant unbeaten on 21 and Dhruv Jurel on 5, leading by 294 runs.

Sri Lanka’s Sonal Dinusha scored his maiden Test century on the third day, but the team managed 284 runs in their first innings in reply to India’s 462. The Indian side, led by Shubman Gill, took a significant lead of 178 runs at Galle.

Dinusha and wicketkeeper-batter Niroshan Dickwella added 146 runs for the sixth wicket, frustrating the Indian bowlers until seamer Prasidh Krishna dismissed Dickwella for 80 in the 62nd over. Dinusha remained at the crease to reach his century, but bowlers Jaydev Suthar (4 for 76) and Ravindra Jadeja (3 for 57) restricted Sri Lanka’s total and prevented a larger score.