For all the questions regarding how he will approach the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, Yashasvi Jaiswal has given an answer in at least the second innings of the first Test in Perth. After bagging a duck in the first innings, the rising left-handed batter put up a batting show in the second essay at the Perth Stadium.
Jaiswal partnered with KL Rahul to put up an unbeaten 172-run stand for the opening wicket on Day 2 of the first Test in Perth. He has now shattered a world record of former New Zealand great Brendon McCullum during his valiant unbeaten knock of 90 runs from 193 balls.
While the run-scoring was not that free, Jaiswal played a highly patient knock that included only seven fours and 2 sixes. With those two sixes, the Indian star opener has broken the world record for most sixes hit by any player in a single calendar year in Test cricket.
Jaiswal now has 34 maximums of his name in 2024, one more than the Kiwi great McCullum, who hit 33 sixes in 2014. He had already broken the all-time India record of Virender Sehwag earlier in the year. Sehwag had 22 sixes in 2008.
Most sixes by a batter in Test cricket in a calendar year:
1 - Yashasvi Jaiswal: 34 sixes* in 2024
2 - Brendon McCullum: 33 sixes in 2014
3 - Ben Stokes: 26 sixes in 2022
4 - Adam Gilchrist: 22 sixes in 2005
5 - Virender Sehwag: 22 sixes in 2008
Jaiswal's two sixes came off pretty late in the innings. After facing 159 balls and scoring 60 runs, Jaiswal flicked Mitchell Starc for a six over deep backward square. He waited for a few overs before depositing Nathan Lyon over long-on for a huge 100m six.
Day 2 of the Perth Test was a complete flip from the opening day. The first day saw excessive seam movement and surviving was a very hard task. But on the second day, the seam movement seemed to be nonexistent. The two Indian openers batted time and took India into the pole position of winning this Test.
