Ben Stokes has hit 136 sixes in Test cricket, more than any player in the 147-year history of the format. That number, built across 119 matches for England, places him 35 sixes ahead of the next man on the list — a margin that underlines just how aggressively the all-rounder has redefined what is possible in whites.
Test cricket was once the domain of accumulation. Sixes were rare, reserved for tail-enders slogging or established batsmen reaching landmarks. The modern era has changed that calculus entirely. The players who clear the rope most often in Tests are now among the format's most celebrated match-winners.
The All-Time Leaderboard
| Rank | Player | Country | Sixes | Matches | Sixes per Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BA Stokes | England | 136 | 119 | 1.14 |
| 2 | BB McCullum | New Zealand | 101 | 89 | 1.13 |
| 3 | TG Southee | New Zealand | 98 | 107 | 0.92 |
| 4 | RR Pant | India | 95 | 49 | 1.94 |
| 5 | AD Mathews | Sri Lanka | 88 | 118 | 0.75 |
| 6 | RG Sharma | India | 88 | 66 | 1.33 |
| 7 | Misbah-ul-Haq | Pakistan | 81 | 69 | 1.17 |
| 8 | RA Jadeja | India | 81 | 88 | 0.92 |
| 9 | CH Gayle | West Indies | 80 | 52 | 1.54 |
| 10 | KP Pietersen | England | 79 | 100 | 0.79 |
| 11 | MS Dhoni | India | 76 | 86 | 0.88 |
| 12 | DA Warner | Australia | 70 | 112 | 0.63 |
| 13 | SPD Smith | Australia | 68 | 122 | 0.56 |
| 14 | V Sehwag | India | 63 | 76 | 0.83 |
| 15 | AB de Villiers | South Africa | 63 | 105 | 0.60 |
The Names at the Top
Ben Stokes — 136 Sixes in 119 Matches
Stokes's record is remarkable not just for its size but for the context in which many of those sixes arrived. His 136 maximums include some of the most pressure-laden blows in Test history — match-winning hits at Headingley in the 2019 Ashes, counter-attacks in the subcontinent, and the full-throttle "Bazball" era that saw England's approach to Test batting rewritten from 2022 onwards.
At 1.14 sixes per match, Stokes hits a six in virtually every Test he plays. For a middle-order batsman operating at No. 5 or No. 6, often arriving in difficult situations, that frequency is extraordinary. His willingness to attack spin and pace alike over the rope — rather than playing percentage cricket — has made him the format's most destructive all-rounder of the modern era.
Brendon McCullum — 101 Sixes in 89 Matches
McCullum was the first player in history to reach 100 Test sixes, a milestone he achieved with characteristic flamboyance. His 101 sixes came at a rate of 1.13 per match — nearly identical to Stokes — but in a shorter career. McCullum's final Test innings, a record-breaking 145 off 79 balls against Australia in February 2016, contained four sixes and encapsulated his philosophy: attack is the best form of defence.
The New Zealander's influence extends beyond the numbers. As England's head coach, McCullum's philosophy directly enabled Stokes to eventually surpass his record.
Rishabh Pant — 95 Sixes in 49 Matches
The most striking figure on this leaderboard belongs to India's wicketkeeper-batsman. Pant's 95 sixes have come in just 49 matches — a rate of 1.94 sixes per match that dwarfs every other player on the list. If Pant maintains this rate, he would surpass Stokes's tally by his 70th Test.
Pant's six-hitting is not agricultural slogging. His ability to reverse-sweep fast bowlers, loft spinners inside-out, and pull short balls flat over midwicket has produced some of the most inventive shot-making Test cricket has witnessed. His match-winning knocks at the Gabba (89* to chase 328), Edgbaston (146 off 111 balls), and Cape Town have all been powered by his ability to clear the boundary when the stakes are highest.
The New Zealand Factor
New Zealand places two players in the top three — McCullum (101) and Tim Southee (98). Southee's presence is particularly notable because he is a No. 8 or No. 9 batsman. His 98 sixes, accumulated across 107 matches, make him the highest-ranked tailender on the all-time list and the most prolific six-hitter among bowlers in Test history. Southee's batting approach — see ball, hit ball over the rope — has produced some memorable lower-order cameos and several Test-altering partnerships.
The Six-Per-Match Rate — A Different Lens
The raw count tells one story. The rate tells another.
| Player | Sixes | Matches | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| RR Pant | 95 | 49 | 1.94 |
| CH Gayle | 80 | 52 | 1.54 |
| RG Sharma | 88 | 66 | 1.33 |
| Misbah-ul-Haq | 81 | 69 | 1.17 |
| BA Stokes | 136 | 119 | 1.14 |
| BB McCullum | 101 | 89 | 1.13 |
Pant's rate of 1.94 is in a class of its own — nearly double that of Stokes and McCullum. Chris Gayle, whose 80 sixes came in just 52 Tests for the West Indies, ranks second by rate at 1.54. Rohit Sharma's 88 sixes in 66 matches (1.33 per match) reflect his transformation from a limited-overs specialist into a destructive Test opener.
Misbah-ul-Haq's presence at 1.17 per match is perhaps the most surprising entry. The Pakistan captain, known for his stoic temperament and anchoring role, hit sixes with remarkable consistency — proof that clearing the rope in Tests is not solely the province of swashbucklers.
The All-Rounders and Tailenders
What makes this leaderboard distinctive is the prominence of all-rounders and lower-order batsmen. Stokes (No. 5/6), Ravindra Jadeja (81 sixes, No. 7), Jason Holder (55 sixes, No. 8), Southee (98, No. 8/9), and Stuart Broad (55, No. 9) are all players who bat outside the top five.
Jadeja's 81 sixes in 88 matches, at 0.92 per match, reflect his evolution from a defensive left-arm spinner who could bat into a genuine lower-order match-winner. His ability to hit sixes against both pace and spin — often in the most pressurised phases of a Test — has been central to India's home dominance.
Broad's 55 sixes in 166 matches stand out for a different reason: longevity. Over the course of the second-longest career on this list (behind only Jacques Kallis's 89 appearances from another era), Broad accumulated his sixes at just 0.33 per match — but his most famous innings, including 169 against Pakistan at Lord's in 2010, contained explosive hitting that belied his No. 9 batting position.
What the Numbers Show
Test cricket's six-hitting evolution mirrors the broader shift towards aggressive batting across all formats. The top 15 on this list is dominated by players whose careers overlapped with the T20 revolution — Gayle, McCullum, Pant, Warner, Sehwag, Pietersen. These batsmen brought white-ball instincts into the red-ball arena and proved that attacking cricket could be both effective and sustainable over five days.
The notable absentees tell their own story. Sachin Tendulkar (69 sixes in 200 Tests), Ricky Ponting (73 in 168), and Brian Lara (88 in 131) — three of the greatest run-scorers in Test history — rank outside or at the fringes of the top 15. Their eras valued placement and timing over power; their sixes were statements, not strategies.
The modern leaderboard, led by Stokes's 136, represents a fundamental shift in how the longest format is played. Sixes are no longer luxuries. For the best players in the world, they are weapons.
FAQ
Who has hit the most sixes in Test cricket?
Ben Stokes of England holds the record with 136 sixes in 119 Test matches. He surpassed Brendon McCullum's previous record of 101 sixes during the "Bazball" era of English Test cricket.
Which player has the best sixes-per-match rate in Tests?
Rishabh Pant of India has the highest rate at 1.94 sixes per Test match (95 sixes in 49 matches). This rate is nearly double that of the next-best players, Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, who both average around 1.14 sixes per match.
Has any tailender scored more than 50 sixes in Test cricket?
Tim Southee of New Zealand has hit 98 sixes in 107 Tests, making him the most prolific six-hitter among bowlers in Test history. Stuart Broad (55 sixes in 166 Tests) and Jason Holder (55 sixes in 67 Tests) also surpass the 50-six mark from the lower order.
How many players have hit 100 or more sixes in Test cricket?
Only two players have reached the 100-six milestone in Test cricket: Ben Stokes (136) and Brendon McCullum (101). Rishabh Pant (95) and Tim Southee (98) are the closest active players to joining this exclusive club.