Yashasvi Jaiswal broke Brendon McCullum’s record for the most sixes in a calendar year in Tests during his fine knock on Day 2 of the Perth Test on Saturday, November 23. Jaiswal hit 2 sixes during his unbeaten 90 on Saturday and went past McCullum’s record of 33 sixes.
After India bowled Australia out for just 104 in the morning session on Day 2 in Perth, Jaiswal set about building a crucial partnership with KL Rahul to extend India’s lead. India had been bowled out for 150 on Day 1, with Jaiswal falling for a duck off just eight balls. However, he recovered well in the second innings, reaching his half-century in the evening session after facing 123 balls.
Once past 50, Jaiswal continued to grow in confidence alongside Rahul, and their partnership soon passed the 100-run mark. Earlier in the day, Jaiswal had seemed to have a playful dig at Mitchell Starc for bowling too slowly, and it wasn’t long before he made the most of Starc’s pace, dispatching a ball over deep-backward square leg for a six. That boundary brought up his 33rd six of the year, equalling Brendon McCullum’s long-standing record for the most sixes in a calendar year in Test cricket.
As the evening wore on and Pat Cummins introduced spin, hoping a change in pace would break the partnership, Jaiswal showed his aggressive intent. Needing just one more six to break the record outright, he danced down the track to Nathan Lyon’s flighted delivery and sent it soaring over long-on for a massive six, his 34th of the year. India ended the day at 172 for no loss and with a lead of 218 runs.
Jaiswal, playing his 12th Test of 2024, is in the midst of a spectacular year. After making his debut in 2023, he has already scored two double centuries in 2024—one against England in Visakhapatnam and another in Rajkot. In addition to his two centuries, he has made eight half-centuries, and with an average of 57.47 and a strike rate of 73.10.
