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The longest format of cricket is rightly named' Test' given the endurance and abilities that a player needs to shine with the red ball, be it as a batter or a bowler. Not many players are considered Test players but some have endeared themselves to the longest format of the game in a beautiful manner.
Usually, Test cricket is comparatively slower than ODIs and T20Is. Keeping this in mind, it is important to note that the only player to hit a six on the first ball of a Test has made a name for himself as a pinch hitter in the other formats while playing for his national team. This person is none other than Chris Gayle, who achieved this feat back in 2012 during a match against Bangladesh at Mirpur.
West Indies had won the toss and opted to bat first. Bangladesh handed a debut to Sohag Gazi, an off-spinner who was given the responsibility of taking care of the spin department.
The new ball was handed straight into the hands of the debutant. It was during this time that Gayle was establishing himself as the player to watch out for in limited-overs cricket for West Indies. Gayle smacked the very first ball of the match into the stands for a six and created a history. He became the first-ever batter to achieve this unique milestone in the longest format of the game. The over finished with 18 runs conceded as Gayle hit another six on the fourth ball and registered 14 runs to his name, giving West Indies the perfect start.
But the final say would be had by the spinner Gazi. In the fifth over of the game, he dismissed the left-hander on the last ball of his over. Gayle lost his wicket after scoring 24 runs off 17 balls including two fours and two sixes. At one juncture, West Indies had lost their first three wickets for 106 runs.
This wicket, however, did not affect the Windies' spirits as Kieron Powell, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Denesh Ramdin played brilliant knocks to power the team total to 527/4. Chanderpaul hit a lovely double century in the first innings, finishing with 203 runs off 372 balls. Ramdin (126) and Powell (117) also hit centuries in the first innings, with the latter hitting another ton (110) in the second innings.
Although Gayle was not at his best in this match — he scored 43 runs in both innings — Gayle will always be remembered for his sixer off the first ball of this Test match, a feat no other player has yet to achieve till date.
