Tim Southee equals MS Dhoni’s Test Sixes Record, close to break Viv Richard’s record too

New Zealand’s Skipper, Tim Southee, is one of the best fast bowlers his nation has ever produced. On Day 2 of their second Test against England, he broke a batting record previously held by former India captain MS Dhoni. Southee is regarded as a valuable big hitter in the bottom order, and on Saturday, he blasted two sixes while scoring 23 off 18 balls without being dismissed.

This brought his total for his Test cricket career to 78, placing him on par with Dhoni and only behind players like Kevin Pietersen and Matthew Hayden. Southee will eclipse West Indies legend Viv Richards' record if he knocks more maximums.

Before abruptly quitting the sport during India's tour of Australia in 2014, Dhoni played 90 Test matches and amassed 4876 runs at an average of 38.09, including six hundred, 33 half-centuries, and a top score of 224. Although Southee has amassed 1898 runs at an average of 15.94, five half-centuries, and a best score of 77 not out, he has also been very prolific. He stands out as the only player among the top 15 highest six-hitters in Test cricket history with an average under 20, with the others having previously played as batters or all-rounders.

Brendon McCullum, the former captain of New Zealand and now the head coach of England, was recently supplanted at the top of the list by Ben Stokes, the captain of Southee's opponent. During the first Test of the two-match series, Stokes surpassed McCullum's record of 107 sixes and reached 109. In Test cricket, Southee is New Zealand's third-best sixer after McCullum and former all-rounder Chris Cairns, who both have 87 sixes.

On Day 2 of the second Test, Southee became the first New Zealand bowler to surpass 700 international wickets. His side was reduced to 138/7 after England declared 435/8 in their first innings, but they still struggled. A staggering 267 runs lost the first Test by the hosts against a dominant England team that had won 10 of their past 11 games since Stokes took over as Test captain.