Who Was the First Indian Cricketer to Hit Six Sixes in an Over?
Introduction
Hitting six sixes in a single over is one of the most iconic feats in cricket, requiring unmatched timing, confidence, and power. Only a handful of cricketers across all formats have achieved it, and two legendary Indians are part of that elite club: Ravi Shastri and Yuvraj Singh.
But here’s the key distinction:
- Ravi Shastri was the first Indian to hit six sixes in an over in a first-class domestic match.
- Yuvraj Singh was the first Indian to do it in an international match.
This article tells the full story of both historic moments and their impact on Indian cricket.
Ravi Shastri: The First Indian to Hit Six Sixes in Domestic Cricket
📍 Match Details:
- Player: Ravi Shastri
- Match: Bombay vs Baroda (Ranji Trophy)
- Date: January 10, 1985
- Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
- Bowler: Tilak Raj
- Format: First-Class (Domestic)
🧨 The Over:
In an over bowled by Baroda left-arm spinner Tilak Raj, Ravi Shastri hammered:
6 6 6 6 6 6
This made him the second player in the world, after Sir Garfield Sobers, to achieve this feat in professional cricket.
📈 Additional Feat:
- Scored the fastest double century in first-class cricket at that time — in just 123 balls.
- Ended his innings with a strike rate over 100, which was rare in that era for long-format games.
Significance of Shastri’s Feat
Ravi Shastri’s performance became legendary in Indian cricket, especially in an era dominated by cautious batting. It showed Indian players could play attacking cricket even in traditional formats. The six sixes inspired a generation of Indian cricketers to play with boldness.
Yuvraj Singh: The First Indian to Hit Six Sixes in an International Match
📍 Match Details:
- Player: Yuvraj Singh
- Opponent: England
- Bowler: Stuart Broad
- Date: September 19, 2007
- Tournament: ICC T20 World Cup
- Venue: Kingsmead, Durban (South Africa)
- Format: T20 International (International)
⚔️ The Build-up:
Before the over began, Yuvraj Singh had a verbal altercation with Andrew Flintoff, which fired him up. What followed was the most explosive over in T20 history.
The Over (by Stuart Broad):
Ball 1 – Over midwicket – SIX
Ball 2 – Long-off – SIX
Ball 3 – Deep square leg – SIX
Ball 4 – Point boundary – SIX
Ball 5 – Midwicket again – SIX
Ball 6 – Long-on – SIX
📉 Broad’s over summary: 6 balls, 36 runs
🚀 Bonus Record:
- Yuvraj also registered the fastest fifty in T20I cricket history: 50 in just 12 balls, a record that still stands.
Impact of Yuvraj’s Six Sixes
- Became the first Indian to hit six sixes in an international match.
- Set the tone for India’s dominant run in the 2007 T20 World Cup, which they eventually won.
- Elevated Yuvraj to superstar status and cemented his legacy in white-ball cricket.
- Sparked massive popularity for T20 cricket in India, helping pave the way for the IPL.
Comparison: Ravi Shastri vs Yuvraj Singh
| Feature | Ravi Shastri | Yuvraj Singh |
|---|---|---|
| Format | First-Class (Domestic) | T20 International |
| Opponent | Baroda | England |
| Bowler | Tilak Raj | Stuart Broad |
| Date | January 10, 1985 | September 19, 2007 |
| Occasion | Ranji Trophy Match | ICC T20 World Cup |
| Achievement | First Indian to hit six sixes | First Indian to hit six sixes in Int’l |
| Impact | Set record in red-ball cricket | Changed India’s white-ball game |
Other Cricketers Who Hit Six Sixes in an Over
| Player | Country | Format | Year | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sir Garfield Sobers | West Indies | First-Class | 1968 | Malcolm Nash |
| Ravi Shastri | India | First-Class | 1985 | Tilak Raj |
| Herschelle Gibbs | South Africa | ODI | 2007 | Netherlands |
| Yuvraj Singh | India | T20 International | 2007 | England |
| Kieron Pollard | West Indies | T20 International | 2021 | Sri Lanka |
| Jaskaran Malhotra | USA | ODI | 2021 | Papua New Guinea |
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Conclusion
While Ravi Shastri was the first Indian cricketer to hit six sixes in an over, he did it in domestic cricket. Over two decades later, Yuvraj Singh became the first Indian to do it on the international stage, in a global tournament, under immense pressure—and in spectacular fashion.
Both feats are legendary in their own right and represent different eras of Indian cricket—Shastri’s disciplined dominance in whites, and Yuvraj’s fearless firepower in colored kits.
