Visakhapatnam: The opening game between India and South Africa broke the world record for the most number of sixes in a Test match, here Sunday. Thirty seven sixes were hit in the match with South Africa’s Dane Piedt registering the record-breaking 37th hit over the fence in the 35th over on the fifth day on Sunday.
The earlier record for the most sixes was set during the 2014 New Zealand versus Pakistan Test played in Sharjah. That match saw a total of 35 sixes being scored.
India hit 27 sixes in the game, the most in the history of the game by any team. The previous record of 22 sixes stood in the name of New Zealand against Pakistan in 2014.
Rohit Sharma in the game broke the record for most sixes in a Test with 13 hits over the fence, surpassing Pakistan great Wasim Akram who smashed 12 in a game against Zimbabwe in 1996. The Indian record was held by Navjyot Singh Siddhu who hit eight sixes against Sri Lanka in 1994.
Rohit Sharma’s total aggregate of 303 runs is the most by a batsman opening for the first time. The earlier record of 215 belonged to Tillakaratne Dilshan (92 and 123 n o) of Sri Lanka against New Zealand in 2009.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also registered his name in the record books by becoming the joint fastest to take 350 Test wickets which he did in 66 Tests. Prior to him Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan had achieved the milestone by playing the same number of Tests.
Agencies