First Test – South Africa vs India at Centurion in Dec 2010 : First Day’s play

India capped JD Unadkat for this game. He became the 266^th cricketer to represent India in tests. He is the 13^th Indian cricketer to make his test debut against South Africa.

South Africa won the toss and elected to field first in this test providing the third occasion of South Africa inserting India. The other two occasions are – at Port Elizabeth in Dec 1992 and at Bloemfontein in Nov 2001.

V Sehwag scored duck in this game providing the 41^st occasion of an Indian batsman scoring zero against South Africa. His duck provides the sixth occasion of an Indian opening batsman scoring duck against South Africa. His duck in this game represents his second duck against South Africa as an opening batsman. The first such occasion was at Durban in Dec 2006, V Sehwag with two ducks became the second opening batsman to score two ducks against South Africa. WV Raman was the other opening batsman to score two ducks.

V Sehwag collected his 12^th duck of his test career. It was his 11^th duck as an opening batsman. Other Indian opening batsmen who have collected 11 or more ducks are – P Roy {14} and SM Gavaskar {11}

R Dravid completed 9500 runs when he was on 7 during his knock of 14 in the first innings of this match while batting at number three. At the end of the first innings his aggregate stood at 9511 runs. He earned the distinction of becoming the second batsman in the annals of test cricket to total 9500 plus runs while batting at number three. RT Ponting with 9825 runs is the other batsman to score 9500 runs {as on 16.12.10}

R Dravid who had an aggregate of 11943 runs prior to the start of the test, went past BC Lara’s 11955 runs when he was on 11 runs during his knock of 14 in the first innings. Now he stands third in the list of most run getters in test cricket – SR Tendulkar {14402} and RT Ponting {12332} and R Dravid {11957} {as on 16.12.10}

At the end of his first innings R Dravid has an aggregate of 151 boundary fours against South Africa. He became the third Indian batsman to total 150 plus boundary fours. Other two are – SR Tendulkar {208} and V Sehwag {167}

SR Tendulkar was dismissed leg before wicket for 36 in the first innings of this test providing the 52^nd occasion of his dismissal leg before wicket in his test career. He has been dismissed leg before wicket on most occasions. GA Gooch {50} is the other batsman to be dismissed leg before wicket on 50 plus occasions.

M Morkel captured his 100^th test wicket when he had R Dravid leg before wicket for 14 in India’s first innings. At the end of the first day, M Morkel has an aggregate of 102 wickets. He became the 13^th South African bowler to capture 100 plus test wickets. Others are – SM Pollock {421} : M Ntini {390} : AA Donald {330} : JH Kallis {267} : DW Steyn {220} : HJ Tayfield {170} : PR Adams {134} : TL Goddard {123} : A Nel {123} : PM Pollock {116} : NAT Adcock {104} and N Boje {100}

Harbhajan Singh was dismissed run out in this test providing the 18^th occasion of an Indian batsman run out against South Africa. He was dismissed run out for the second occasion against South Africa. The other occasion was at Port Elizabeth in Nov 2001. He became the fourth Indian batsman to be dismissed run out on two or more occasions. Others are – MA Azharuddin {03}, A Kumble {02} and J Srinath {02}

V Sehwag, I Sharma and S Sreesanth scored zeroes in India’s first innings. With these three zeros, Indian batsman scoring zeroes against South Africa swelled to 43.

V Sehwag, I Sharma and S Sreesanth scored zeroes in India’s first innings providing the fourth occasion of three or more batsman scoring zeros in an innings.

V Sehwag’s zero represents his 12^th duck of his test career : I Sharma’s zero represents his eighth duck of his test career : S Sreesanth’s zero represents his seventh duck of his test career.