Most runs scored in a single over in Tests

During his heroic debut hundred at Pallekele, Hardik Pandya muscled Malinda Pushpakumara for 26 runs in an over.

The right-hander slammed three sixes and two fours in the over to wreck Sri Lanka's hopes and stamp India's dominance in the game.

The 26 runs scored by the right-hand batsman puts him third on the list of 'most runs scored off one over in a Test match'. However, there are four more batsmen who have scored 26 runs or more in an over. Take a look...

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#5 Brian Lara - 26 runs vs Danish Kaneria at Multan, 2006-07

Brian Lara loved hitting leg-spinners. His magical wrists and quick feet allowed him to take on deliveries that spun into him and it was a delight to watch him launch the spinners over the leg-side boundary.

He displayed his best when West Indies toured Pakistan in 2006. The visitors were drubbed in the first Test but Lara scored 61 and 122 runs in two innings, showcasing his class.

In the second Test, the hosts amassed 357 runs in the first innings on a batting friendly surface but West Indies made better use of the surface and responded effectively.

The left-handed Lara walked to the crease at 162/1 and continued the carnage by scoring quick runs. He was ruthless against Danish Kaneria, Pakistan's ace spin bowler.

In the 84th over, Lara collared Kaneria for 26 runs. On the first ball, Lara stepped out and smashed Kaneria over his head for a four and on the third ball, went on the backfoot and pulled the ball over mid-wicket for a six. On the next two deliveries, he stepped out without worrying about the length and smashed two sixes over the sight screen. On the last ball of the over, he once again bisected the mid-wicket fielders to earn another four.

With two fours and a hat-trick of sixes, Lara butchered Kaneria and eventually completed his century off 77 balls, which was the seventh fastest at that time.

Lara went on to score 216, enabling West Indies to reach 591. The Test ended in a draw.

#4 Craig McMillan - 26 runs vs Younis Khan at Hamilton, 2001

McMillan tore apart Younis' mediocre bowling in 2001

Six years before Kaneria was ruthlessly smashed by Lara, another Pakistani bowler went through the same ordeal. It was against New Zealand at Hamilton in 2001 and the bowler was Younis Khan.

Younis is better known in cricket for his batting but he does have the ability to roll his arm and deliver a few overs.

In the 3rd Test at Hamilton, Pakistan were bowled out for 104 runs in the first innings following which the New Zealand batsmen made merry.

On the fourth day, New Zealand's skipper Stephen Fleming, who was eyeing a declaration, focussed on accelerating the run-rate. The onus was on Craig McMillan and he did an outstanding job.

Inzamam-ul-Haq handed the ball to Younis expecting him to create some magic. But the gamble backfired and Younis's mediocre bowling was smashed to all corners by McMillan.

On the first two balls, the New Zealand batsman played reverse sweeps to accumulate two fours and then pulled the third ball for another four over mid-wicket. He once again went for a reverse-sweep on the fourth ball to make it four fours in four balls.

On the fifth ball, Younis finally bowled a fuller delivery but it was so slow that McMillan deposited it into the car park outside the ground. To finish the over, the right-hand batsman slammed another four through the point region. 26 runs came from that over, with five fours and one six.

McMillan was eventually dismissed for 98 and New Zealand declared their innings at 407. Another batting collapse by Pakistan in the second innings sealed the game for the home team.

#3 Shahid Afridi - 27 runs vs Harbhajan Singh at Lahore, 2006

Afridi was on song against Harbhajan at Lahore in 2006

Shahid Afridi was a strange player. He was considered a part-time bowler but caused more damage with the ball than the lead bowlers. With the bat, which was his primary role, he was highly unreliable and could implode at any moment.

However, when things went in his favour, he was the most destructive force in the universe and his bat was a weapon which could not be contained.

On most occasions, Indians were at the receiving end and when Afridi decided to butcher the red ball, it was Harbhajan Singh who paid the price.

In the first Test at Lahore in 2006, Pakistan won the toss and their batsmen made effective use of the conditions. Younis and Yousuf added more than 300 runs for the third wicket and then came Afridi to inflict further damage.

In the 136th over, the right-hand batsman smashed Harbhajan for four consecutive sixes. The four sixes disappeared in the arc between square leg and long-on while the fifth and sixth deliveries yielded two and one, respectively.

Afridi scored his century off just 78 balls and the Test ended in a draw as only eight wickets fell in 220 overs.

#2 George Bailey - 28 runs vs James Anderson at Perth, 2013

Bailey was unstoppable

The third Test of the 2013 Ashes was dominated by Australia once George Bailey walked to the crease in the second innings. Australia had already piled up a match-winning lead on the board and they were looking to score quick runs.

On the first ball of the 87th over, James Anderson found the outside edge of Bailey's bat but it went over slip's head. On the next ball, Bailey corrected himself and launched Anderson over his head for a huge six. The third ball yielded two runs while on the fourth ball, Bailey managed another four through square leg.

The Aussie batsman kept his best for last and slammed two sixes off the last two balls of the over. One disappeared over long-off and the other over long-on.

Three sixes and two fours in the same over, and Bailey finished with 28 runs from it, the joint-highest in Test cricket.

#1 Brian Lara - 28 runs vs Robin Peterson at Johannesburg, 2003

Brian Lara took Robin Peterson to the cleaners

Before pulverizing Kaneria in 2006, Brian Lara launched a similar assault on Robin Peterson in 2003 at Johannesburg.

In the first Test, Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis took South Africa to 561 but Lara then took the responsibility on his shoulders to get his side close to the total.

The left-hander came to bat at number four and stroked his way to 150 before Robin Peterson took the ball for the last over of the third day.

On the first ball, Lara moved back in his crease and played a scintillating cut through point for four. On the second and the third ball, the left-hander danced down the track and launched Peterson over long-on for two sixes.

Peterson continued to flight the ball and Lara made full use. On the fourth and the fifth ball, he smashed two fours over the bowler's head before finishing the over with another four, going back and cutting the ball away from the short-third man fielder.

Four fours and two sixes stamped Lara's greatness and the West Indian legend finished the day by scoring the most runs in an over in a Test match.