First Test at Mohali – Second day

RT Ponting’s 71 in the first innings of the first test at Mohali against India gave him one more distinction. It was his 40^th fifty {20 C plus 20 HC} in the first innings of a test match and with it the record for most fifties by a batsman while batting in the first innings of a test match. It is also a record for an Australian batsman in this category of statistics. He went past SR Tendulkar and SR Waugh who had scored 39 fifties. SR Tendulkar’s 39 fifties contains 20 C and 19 HC while SR Waugh’s 39 fifties contains 17 C plus 22 HC

RT Ponting became the fourth batsman to score 20 half centuries while batting in the first innings of a test match. Others are – AR Border of Australia {27}, SR Waugh of Australia {22} and ME Waugh of Australia {22}. This is an all-Australian record.

Both SR Tendulkar and RT Ponting have played 80 tests and 80 innings at the end of Australian first innings in this test. SR Tendulkar has an aggregate of 5308 runs while RT Ponting has an aggregate of 4887 runs. He went past SR Waugh’s 4855 runs when he was on 40 during his innings of 71 in this test. RT Ponting now owns the Australian record of most runs by a batsman while batting in the first innings of a test match

SR Watson’s 126 in this game represent his highest individual test innings, an improvement over his previous best of 120 not out against Pakistan at Melbourne in Dec 2009.

TD Paine scored 92 in this test to provide the 19^th occasion of an Australian batsman scoring an individual ninety against India. He became the second Australian wicket keeper batsman to score a ninety against India. IA Healy had made 90 at Chennai in Mar 1998

TD Paine’s 92 in this test provide the 12^th occasion of an Australian wicket keeper batsman scoring a ninety in a test innings. He became the seventh batsman from various oppositions to score a ninety against India. Others are – 92 by RT Spooner of England at Kolkatta in Dec 1951, 96 by Hanif Mohammad of Pakistan at Mum-BS in Nov 1952, 90 by APE Knott at The Oval in Jan 1975, 91 by DL Murray of West Indies at Mumbai in Jan 1975, 98 by PJL Dujon at Ahmedabad in Nov 1983 and 90 by IA Healy at Chennai in Mar 1998.

TD Paine registered his career best test score when he scored 92 in this innings. It was his maiden test fifty, the previous best being 47 against Pakistan at Lord’s in Jul 2010

MJ North and DE Bollinger failed to score in the first innings of this test and the number of ducks scored by Australian batsman against India stood at 136. MJ North’s duck represents the 75^th occasion of an Australian batsman scoring a duck against India in India and DE Bolliger’s duck provides the 76^th such occasions

Zaheer Khan captured 5 for 94 in this test providing the 272^nd occasion of an Indian bowler capturing five or more wickets in a test innings.

Zaheer Khan’s 5 for 94 in this test provide the tenth occasion of his capturing five or more wickets. The other nine occasions are – 5 for 53 vs New Zealand at Wellington in Dec 2007, 5 for 29 vs New Zealand at Hamilton in Dec 2002, 5 for 95 vs Australia at Brisbane in Dec 2003, 5 for 34 vs Bangladesh at Dhaka in May 2007, 5 for 75 vs England at Nottingham in Jul 2007, 5 for 91 vs Australia at Bangalore in Oct 2008, 5 for 65 vs New Zealand at Wellington in Apr 2009, 5 for 72 vs Sri Lanka at Mum-BS in Dec 2009 and 5 for 87 vs Bangladesh at Dhaka in Jan 2010.

Zaheer Khan ten five wicket hauls finds him a place amongst the elite list of eight Indian bowlers who have ten or more five wicket hauls. Others are – A Kumble {35}, Harbhahan Singh {24}, N Kapil Dev {23}, BS Chandrashekhar {15}, BS Bedi {13}, SP Gupte {12}, EAS Prasanna {10} and J Srinath {10}. Zaheer Khan became the ninth bowler to achieve the coveted distinction.

Zaheer Khan’s ten five wickets hauls became the fourth left arm pace bowler to capture ten or more five wicket hauls. Others are – Wasim Akram of Pakistan {25}, AK Davidson of Australia {14} and WPUJC Vaas of Sri Lanka {12}

Zaheer Khan’s 5 for 71 provides the 58^th occasion of an Indian bowler capturing five or more wickets in an innings against Australia. His figures represent the third occasion of his capturing five wickets against Australia. The other two occasions are – 5 for 95 vs Australia at Brisbane in Dec 2003 and 5 for 91 vs Australia at Bangalore in Oct 2008, He became the eighth Indian bowler to capture five wicket hauls on three occasions against Australia. Others are – A Kumble {10}, Harbhajan Singh {07}, N Kapil Dev {07}, BS Bedi {05}, EAS Prasanna {05}, BS Chandrashekhar {03} and RG Nadkarni {03}

MJ Johnson was playing his 50^th innings in his 37^th test and celebrated it by completing 1000 runs of his test career. He reached the milestone when he was on 31 during his knock of 47 in this test. At the end of the first innings of this test, his aggregate stood at 1016. He became the 90^th Australian batsman to total 1000 plus test runs.

His two wickets in the Indian innings gave him an aggregate of 160 test wickets and with his 1016 run aggregate with the willow, MG Johnson became the 12^th Australian cricketer to complete the test double – 1000 runs and 100 wickets. The complete list read thus – SK Warne {3154 runs and 708 wickets}, B Lee {1451 runs and 310 wickets}, JN Gillespie {1218 runs and 259 wickets}, R Benaud {2201 runs and 122 wickets}, RR Lindwall {1502 runs and 228 wickets}, MG Hughes {1032 runs and 212 wickets}, AK Davidson {1328 runs and 186 wickets}, KR Miller {2958 runs and 170 wickets}, MG Johnson {1016 runs and 160 wickets}, MA Noble {1997 runs and 121 wickets}, IWG Johnson {1000 runs and 109 wickets} and G Giffen {1238 runs and 103 wickets}

MG Johnson’s feat of “All rounders’ double” provide the 52^nd of a cricketer performing such a feat in the annals of test cricket. The break up country wise read thus – Australia {12}, Bangladesh {01}, England {10}, India {07}, New Zealand {04}, Pakistan {07}, South Africa {04}, Sri Lanka {02}, West Indies {02} and Zimbabwe {01}

Harbjajan Singh returned with figures of 3 for 114 providing the 37^th occasion of his conceding 100 plus runs in a test innings. Other bowlers to concede 100 plus runs in a test innings more than Harbhajan Singh are – M Muralitharan {61}, A Kumble {57}, SK Warne {40} and D Kaneria {39}.

Harbjajan Singh returned with figures of 3 for 114 providing the 12^th occasion of his conceding 100 plus runs in a test innings against Australia. Only A Kumble of India {15 occasions| has conceded 100 plus runs in a test innings against Australia more than Harbhajan Singh. Harbhajan Singh of India and T Richardson of England share the second place amongst the bowlers who have conceded 100 plus runs against Australia. Both the bowlers have conceded 100 plus runs on 12 occasions.

PP Ojha {1 for 113} and Harbhajan Singh {3 for 114} conceded 100 plus runs in this test providing the 99^th and 100^th occasion of Indian bowlers conceding 100 plus runs in a test innings against Australia

PP Ojha sent down 51.4 overs in this test to provide the 15^th occasion of an Indian bowler bowling 50 plus overs in an innings against Australia.

MS Dhoni completed 25 dismissals against Australia when he caught MG Johnson of Zaheer Khan for 47. He became the fourth wicket keeper to effect 25 dismissals in India-Australia test series. Others are – AC Gilchrist {75}, SMH Kirmani {41} and IA Healy {26}

V Sehwag’s 59 in this test represents his tenth fifty against Australia {3C plus 07HC}, He became the sixth Indian batsman to score ten or more fifties against Australia. Others are – SR Tendulkar {21}, VVS Laxman {16}, R Dravid {13}, GR Viswanath {13} and SM Gavaskar {12}

At the end of the second day, RT Ponting and R Dravid have an aggregate of 1858 runs and share the joint fourth place amongst the top run getters in India-Australia test series. SR Tendulkar {2748}, VVS Laxman {2204} and ML Hayden {1888} occupy the first three places in the list

V Sehwag’s 59 in this test gave him his eleventh fifty in consecutive tests. He now shares the record of most consecutive fifties in test with IVA Richards of West Indies and G Gambhir of India.

With Sehwag achieving this feat, for the first time in the annals of test cricket, a teams’ both the opening batsmen are credited with the feat – India is the team and G Gambhir and V Sehwag are the openers.