Yashasvi Jaiswal equals Wasim Akram: List of players with 10 or more sixes in a Test innings

Yashasvi Jaiswal entered the record books on Sunday, February 18 by smashing the joint-higest number of sixes in a Test innings. He achieved the feat by hitting 12 sixes in the second innings of the Rajkot Test against England, equalling Wasim Akram's record of most sixes in a Test innings.

The Pakistan legend held the record for nearly 28 years. Akram, primarily known for his bowling skills, smashed a then-record 12 sixes in a Test innings against Zimbabwe at Sheikhupura in October 1996.

Akram was at his brutal best with the bat and in his unbeaten knock of 257, he hit 22 boundaries and 12 maximums. Due to Akram's innings, Pakistan recovered from a delicate position and scored a mammoth 553 in the first innings. The match, though, ended in a draw.

Batting on 104, Yashasvi Jaiswal retired hurt due to back spasms on Saturday and resumed batting once Shubhman Gill was dismissed on Sunday. The left-handed opener was severe on all English bowlers and smashed his second consecutive double-century.

The 21-year-old was unbeaten on 214 and guided his team to a total of 430 when skipper Rohit Sharma declared the innings.

On that note, here is a look at all players with 10 or more sixes in Test cricket.

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#1 Brendon McCullum - 11 sixes on 2 occasions:

McCullum has smashed 11 sixes in a Test innings twice in 2014

The former New Zealand skipper holds the distinction of smashing 11 sixes in an innings on two occasions. The first was against Pakistan in November 2014 in Sharjah. Opening the batting, McCullum tore apart the Pakistan bowling lineup comprising Yasir Shah, Rahat Ali, Mohammad Talha, and Zulfiqar Babar.

In an innings of 202 from just 188 balls, McCullum smashed 21 boundaries and 11 maximums. Courtesy of his innings, New Zealand scored 690 in their first innings and won the match by an innings and 80 runs.

A month later, he once again smashed 11 sixes in a Test innings, this time against Sri Lanka in Christchurch. Batting at number five, he scored 195 from just 134 balls, and the Sri Lankan bowlers had no answer to the onslaught by McCullum. Apart from the 11 sixes, he smashed 18 boundaries and guided New Zealand to a total of 441. The Kiwis subsequently won the game by eight wickets.

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#2 Nathan Astle - 11 sixes:

New Zealand, chasing a target of 555 in a Test in Christchurch in 2002, were reduced to 333 for the loss of nine wickets.

Nathan Astle thereafter played a special Test innings and an English bowling lineup comprising Andrew Flintoff, Matthew Hoggard, Andy Caddick, and Ashley Giles was taken to the cleaners. Astle scored 222 runs in the fourth innings of the Test from just 168 balls, smashing 28 boundaries and 11 maximums.

He single-handedly threatened to win the Test for the Kiwis with his double century and aggressive batting. But the target was such that the home team fell short by 98 runs. Astle's innings, however, remains one of the best in the fourth innings of a Test.

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#3 Matthew Hayden - 11 sixes:

The Aussie opener held the record for the highest individual score in Test cricket for a brief period in 2004. In a Test match in Perth in 2004, Hayden scored 380 runs in 437 balls with 38 boundaries and 11 maximums.

Hayden played at a strike rate of almost 87 and played aggressive cricket against a hapless Zimbabwe bowling attack comprising Heath Streak, Andy Blignaut, Sean Ervine, Ray Price and Trevor Gripper.

Australia went on to win the Test by an innings and 175 runs.

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#4 Ben Stokes - 11 sixes:

In a high-scoring Test in Cape Town in 2016, Ben Stokes was at his very best with the bat. England declared their first innings after scoring 629 runs.

The main run-getter for England was Ben Stokes, who played an incredible innings of 258 from just 196 balls. During the innings, the current English Test skipper smashed 30 boundaries and 11 sixes. Kagiso Rabada, Chris Morris, Morne Morkel, Dane Piedt failed to control Stokes.

The match ended in a draw.

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#5 Kusal Mendis - 11 sixes:

Kusal Mendis scored 245 from 291 balls in Sri Lanka's first innings in a Test against Ireland in Galle in 2023. The innings included 18 boundaries and 11 maximums and the score was the highest individual Test score of 2023.

Sri Lanka won the Test by an innings and 10 runs.

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#6 Wally Hammond - 10 sixes:

The former English batsman was way ahead of his time and smashed 10 sixes in a Test innings in 1933. He achieved this feat against New Zealand in Auckland almost 91 years ago.

New Zealand were bundled out for 158 in the first innings of the Test. Thereafter, Hammond, batting at number three, played a special innings of 336 that included 34 boundaries and 10 maximums. The match ended in a draw.

Hammond held the record of smashing the maximum number of sixes in a Test innings till 1996, when Wasim Akram broke the record.