R Aswhin and Harbhajan Singh share the second the joint second place with 25 five wicket hauls in the  list of Indian bowlers who have captured most five wicket hauls. A Kumble leads the table with 35 such hauls. One  more  five  wicket  haul  for R Ashwin  would place him the  second in the list with 26 five wicket hauls.

 

R Ashwin and H Trumble share the record for most wickets when a spin bowler has shared the new ball. Both the bowlers have an aggregate of 93 wickets. One more wicket for R Ashwin in this category of statistics would fetch him a world record. Seven more wickets to him would make him the first bowler to capture 100 wickets as a spin bowler opening the bowling. This is a statistics which has never happened in the annals of test cricket. No spin bowler who has opened the bowling has ever had an aggregate of century of wickets.

 

R Ashwin has an aggregate of 44 wickets against Australia at home. Six more wickets would fetch him 50 wickets. If he gets them, he would then become the third Indian bowler to capture 50 plus wickets against Australia at home. Others are – Harbhajan Singh {86} and A Kumble {62}. R Ashwin would become the 17^th bowler to capture 50 plus wickets against India in the annals of test cricket.

 

NM Lyon has an aggregate of 28 wickets against India in India. Two more wickets would fetch him 30 wickets. If he gets them, then he would become the seventh Australian bowler to capture 30 plus wickets against India in India. Others are – R Benuad {52}, GD McKenzie {34}, SK Warne {34}, JN Gillespie {33}, GD McGrath {33} and AK Davidson {30}

 

NM Lyon has an aggregate of 28 wickets against India in India. Two more wickets would fetch him 30 wickets. If he gets them, then he would become the third Australian spin bowler to capture 30 plus wickets against India in India. Others are – R Benuad {52} and SK Warne {34}

 

M Vijay would become the 29^th Indian cricket to appear in 50 plus tests, if he is picked upto play the test at Ranchi. He has played 49 tests so far.  He would become the 269^th cricketer to appear in fifty plus test in the annals of test cricket.

 

M Vijay would occupy the fifth place in the list of Indian opening batsmen. He would be playing his 46^th test if he opens the innings for India at Ranchi. Others are – SM Gavaskar {119}, V Sehwag {98}, G Gambhir {57} and NS Sidhu {45}.

 

Ranchi would become the 26^th ground in India to host  a test and  also would become 110^th ground in the annals of test cricket to host a test.

 

V Kohli would be leading India in his 26^th test at Ranchi. He would go past SR Tendulkar and R Dravid who led India in 25 tests. Other Indian captains who have led India in 26 or more tests are – MS Dhoni {60}, SC Ganguly {49}, M Azharuddin {47}, SM Gavaskar {47}, MAK Pataudi {40} and N Kapil Dev {34}

 

V Kohli has an aggregate of 1446 runs while leading India on home soil. He needs 54 runs for his 1500 runs. If he gets them,  he  would become the third Indian captain to score 1500 runs on home soil. Others are – SM Gavaskar {2426} and MS Dhoni {1863}. V Kohli would go past MAK Pataudi who has an aggregate of 1481 runs if he scored 36 runs

 

V Kohli has scored four hundreds on home soil while leading India. One  more hundred would fetch him his  fifth hundred. If he gets it, he would become the third Indian captain to score five or more hundreds on home soil. Others are – SM Gavaskar {09} and MS Dhoni {05}. V Kohli would go past MAK Pataudi and M Azharuddin who have  scored four hundreds on home soil on his way to the third position.

 

V Kohli has scored six hundreds against Australia. One more hundred will give him his seventh hundred. If he gets them, he would then become the third Indian batsman to score seven or more hundreds against Australia. Others are – SR Tendulkar {11} and SM Gavaskar {08}. V Kohli would go past VVS Laxman who has scored six hundreds against Australia on his  way to the third position.

 

V Kohli has scored nine fifties against Australia. One more fifty will fetch him his tenth fifty. If he gets it he  would become the seventh Indian batsman to score ten or more fifties against Australia. Others are – SR Tendulkar {27}, VVS Laxman {18}, R Dravid {15}, GR Viswanath {13}, SM Gavaskar {12} and V Sehwag {12}

 

M Vijay has scored nine fifties against Australia. One more fifty will fetch him his tenth fifty. If he gets it he would become the seventh Indian batsman to score ten or more fifties against Australia. Others are – SR Tendulkar {27}, VVS Laxman {18}, R Dravid {15}, GR Viswanath {13}, SM Gavaskar {12} and V Sehwag {12}

 

Prior to the test at Ranchi, there are five Indian batsmen who have scored nine fifties against Australia.  SC Ganguly, V Kohli, MAK Pataudi, DB Vengsarkar and M Vijay. It depends upon M Vijay and V Kohli to become the seventh Indian batsman to score ten fifties against Australia. If both scores fifties then they would become the seventh and eighth Indian batsmen to score ten or more fifties against Australia.

 

SPD Smith has an aggregate of 4924 runs prior to  the start of the Ranchi test. He needs 76 more runs for his 5000 run aggregate. If he gets them, he would then become the 20th Australian batsman to  score 5000 plus runs. He also would become the 89^th batsman in the annals of test cricket to score 5000 plus runs.

 

DA Warner has an aggregate of 986 runs against India. He needs 14 more runs for his 1000 runs. If he gets it, he would then become the 12^th Australian batsman to total 1000 plus runs against India. The following table lists the entire twelve batsman with DA Warner’s 988 runs.

 

No	Player	Span	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	0
1	RT Ponting	1996-2012	29	51	4	2555	257	54.36	8	12	4
2	MJ Clarke	2004-2014	22	40	2	2049	329*	53.92	7	6	2
3	ML Hayden	2001-2008	18	35	3	1888	203	59.00	6	8	2
4	AR Border	1979-1992	20	35	5	1567	163	52.23	4	9	2
5	DC Boon	1985-1992	11	20	3	1204	135	70.82	6	2	0
6	RB Simpson	1964-1978	11	21	0	1125	176	53.57	4	6	0
7	SPD Smith	2013-2017	8	16	2	1102	192	78.71	5	3	0
8	SR Waugh	1985-2004	18	31	5	1090	150	41.92	2	5	3
9	SM Katich	2003-2010	14	26	3	1088	125	47.30	2	6	0
10	MEK Hussey	2007-2012	14	24	2	1078	150*	49.00	3	4	2
11	JL Langer	1999-2004	14	26	0	1047	223	40.26	3	4	3
12	DA Warner	2011-2017	14	26	0	986	180	37.92	4	2	2

 

DA Warner has an aggregate of 986 runs against India. He needs 14 more runs for his 1000 runs. If he gets it, he would then become the 47th batsman to total 1000 plus runs against India.

 

DA Warner has scored 963 runs against India as an opening batsman. He needs 37 more runs for his 1000 runs. If he gets them, he would then become the second Australian opening batsman to score 1000 plus runs against India after ML Hayden. ML Hayden has an aggregate of 1888 runs.

 

DA Warner has scored 963 runs against India as an opening batsman. He needs 37 more runs for his 1000 runs. If he gets them, he would then become the seventh opening batsman to score 1000 plus runs against India. Others are – AN Cook of England {2104], ML Hayden of Australia {1888}, CG Greenidge of West Indies {1678}, GA Gooch of England {1518}, Mudassar Nazar of Pakistan {1210} and G Boycott of England {1084}.

 

V Kohli has pouched 25 catches while leading India. He needs one more catch to take his tally to 25. If he gets it, he would become the seventh Indian captain to pouch 25 plus catches. Others are – M Azharuddin {50}, SM Gavaskar {45}, SC Ganguly {37}, R Dravid {33}, N Kapil Dev {26}, MAK Pataudi {26}

 

V Kohli has pouched 25 catches while leading India. He needs one more catch to take his tally to 25. If he gets it, he would become the 43rd captain to pouch 25 plus catches in the annals of test cricket.

 

WP Saha has effected eight stumping dismissals prior to the start of the Ranchi Test. He needs two more stumping dismissals for his ten such dismissals. If he effects them, then he would become the eighth Indian wicket keeper to effect ten or more stumping dismissals. Others are – MS Dhoni {38}, SMH Kirmani {38}, KS More {20}, FM Engineer {16}, NS Tamhane {16}, PK Sen {11} and PA Patel {10}

 

NM Lyon has an aggregate of 241 wickets prior to the start of the Ranchi test. He needs nine more wickets for his 250 wickets. If he gets them, he would then become the eighth Australian bowler to capture 250 plus wickets. Others are – SK Warne {708}, GD McGrath {563}, DK Lillee {355}, MG Johnson {313}, B Lee {310}, CJ McDermott {291} and R Gillespie {259}

 

NM Lyon has an aggregate of 58 wickets against India. He needs two more wickets for his 60 wickets. If he gets them, then he  would become the 14th  bowler in the annals of test cricket to capture 60 plus wickets against India. The following table list all such bowlers which includes NM Lyon with his 58 wickets

 

No	Player	Team	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	5	10
1	M Muralitharan	Srl	22	32	7020	3425	105	8/87	11/110	32.61	7	2
2	Imran Khan	Pak	23	38	5078	2260	94	8/60	11/79	24.04	6	2
3	JM Anderson	Eng	22	42	4935	2423	86	5/42	7/77	28.17	3	0
4	MD Marshall	Win	17	30	3507	1671	76	6/37	11/89	21.98	6	1
5	AME Roberts	Win	14	25	3030	1454	67	7/64	12/121	21.70	4	1
6	RJ Hadlee	NZl	14	24	3106	1493	65	7/23	11/58	22.96	4	2
7	WW Hall	Win	13	26	2774	1221	65	6/49	11/126	18.78	4	1
8	CA Walsh	Win	15	25	3124	1316	65	6/62	10/101	20.24	4	1
9	LR Gibbs	Win	15	30	4793	1467	63	8/38	9/63	23.28	4	0
10	DW Steyn	SAF	13	22	2616	1349	63	7/51	10/108	21.41	5	1
11	DL Underwood	Eng	20	36	4995	1699	62	5/84	9/173	27.40	1	0
12	RGD Willis	Eng	17	30	2941	1441	62	6/53	9/142	23.24	3	0
13	MA Holding	Win	15	26	3142	1543	61	6/65	7/117	25.29	2	0
14	NM Lyon	Aus	12	24	3153	1858	58	8/50	12/286	32.03	4	1

 

NM Lyon has an aggregate of 58 wickets against India. He needs two more wickets for his 60 wickets. If he gets them, then he would become the first Australian bowler to capture 60 plus wickets against India. NM Lyon would go past IT Botham and GS Sobers who have captured 59 wickets against India

 

NM Lyon has captured five or more wickets in an innings on four occasions against India. One more five wicket innings haul would give him five such occasions. If he gets them, then he would become the   bowler in the annals of test cricket to capture five or more five wicket innings haul against India. Others are – M Muralitharan {07}, IT Botham {06}, Imran Khan {06}, MD Marshall {06}, R Benaud {05} and DW Steyn {05}

 

NM Lyon has captured five or more wickets in an innings on four occasions against India. One more five wicket innings haul would give him five such occasions. If he gets them, then he would become the   second Australain bowler to capture five or more five wicket innings haul against India after R Benaud. R Benaud has captured five or more wickets in an innings on five occasions against India.

 

F du Plessis of South Africa scored 52 and 56 not out in the just concluded test against New Zealand at Dunedin to provide the 17^th occasion of a South African captain scoring fifites in each innings  of a test including centuries  in both innings of a test. All such occasions are listed below

No	Player	FI	SI	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	HW Taylor	59*	56	v England	Leeds	12 Jul 1924
2	HG Deane	77	73	v England	Durban	21 Jan 1928
3	A Melville	78	103	v England	Durban	03 Mar 1939
4	A Melville	189	104*	v England	Nottingham	07 Jun 1947
5	AD Nourse	65	114	v Australia	Cape Town	31 Dec 1949
6	TL Goddard	80	84	v Australia	Sydney	10 Jan 1964
7	TL Goddard	60	112	v England	Johannesburg	22 Jan 1965
8	KC Wessels	59	74	v West Indies	Bridgetown	18 Apr 1992
9	WJ Cronje	126	67	v England	Nottingham	23 Jul 1998
10	GC Smith	277	85	v England	Birmingham	24 Jul 2003
11	GC Smith	126	50*	v West Indies	St John’s	29 Apr 2005
12	GC Smith	63	68	v New Zealand	Johannesburg	05 May 2006
13	GC Smith	94	55	v India	Cape Town	02 Jan 2007
14	GC Smith	62	75	v Australia	Melbourne	26 Dec 2008
15	GC Smith	53	115	v New Zealand	Dunedin	07 Mar 2012
16	GC Smith	52	52	v England	Leeds	02 Aug 2012
17	F du Plessis	52	56*	v New Zealand	Dunedin	08 Mar 2017

F du Plessis became the second South African captain to accomplish such a feat against New Zealand  and his feat provides the third  such occasion. All the three occasions are listed below

No	Player	FI	SI	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	GC Smith	63	68	v New Zealand	Johannesburg	05 May 2006
2	GC Smith	53	115	v New Zealand	Dunedin	07 Mar 2012
3	F du Plessis	52	56*	v New Zealand	Dunedin	08 Mar 2017

GC Smith {07}, A Melville {02} and TL Goddard {02} are the three South African captains to achieve the feat on two or  more occasions. The following table lists the performance of these three captains

No	Player	FI	SI	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	A Melville	78	103	v England	Durban	03 Mar 1939
2	A Melville	189	104*	v England	Nottingham	07 Jun 1947
1	TL Goddard	80	84	v Australia	Sydney	10 Jan 1964
2	TL Goddard	60	112	v England	Johannesburg	22 Jan 1965
1	GC Smith	277	85	v England	Birmingham	24 Jul 2003
2	GC Smith	126	50*	v West Indies	St John’s	29 Apr 2005
3	GC Smith	63	68	v New Zealand	Johannesburg	05 May 2006
4	GC Smith	94	55	v India	Cape Town	02 Jan 2007
5	GC Smith	62	75	v Australia	Melbourne	26 Dec 2008
6	GC Smith	53	115	v New Zealand	Dunedin	07 Mar 2012
7	GC Smith	52	52	v England	Leeds	02 Aug 2012

 

HMRKB Herath of Sri Lanka became the first bowler in the annals of test cricket to capture five or more wickets in an innings  on ten occasions in the fourth innings of a test. His 6 for 59 against Bangladesh at Galle was his tenth five wicket haul, All his ten such hauls are listed below

No	O	M	R	W	Inns	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	48.0	09	139	5	4	v New Zealand	Col-SSC	26 Aug 2009
2	30.3	07	79	5	4	v South Africa	Durban	26 Dec 2011
3	38.0	09	97	6	4	v England	Galle	26 Mar 2012
4	45.0	30	40	5	4	v South Africa	Col-SSC	24 Jul 2014
5	22.1	02	57	5	4	v Pakistan	Col-SSC	14 Aug 2014
6	21.0	06	48	7	4	v India	Galle	12 Aug 2015
7	33.3	16	54	5	4	v Australia	Pallekele	26 Jul 2016
8	18.1	03	64	7	4	v Australia	Col-SSC	13 Aug 2016
9	23.0	06	63	8	4	v Zimbabwe	Harare	06 Nov 2016
10	20.2	05	59	6	4	v Bangladesh	Galle	07 Mar 2017

 

D Elgar scored 140 and 89 in the ongoing test against New Zealand at Dunedin to provide the 20^th occasion of a South African opening batsman scoring a century and fifty in a test  including centuries in each innings of a test. All such occasions are listed below

No	Player	FI	SI	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	PGV van der Bijl	125	97	v England	Durban	03 Mar 1939
2	A Melville	189	104*	v England	Nottingham	07 Jun 1947
3	B Mitchell	120	189*	v England	The Oval	16 Aug 1947
4	EAB Rowan	236	60*	v England	Leeds	26 Jul 1951
5	EJ Barlow	109	54	v Australia	Melbourne	01 Jan 1964
6	EJ Barlow	138	78	v England	Cape Town	01 Jan 1965
7	TL Goddard	60	112	v England	Johannesburg	22 Jan 1965
8	BA Richards	81	126	v Australia	Port Elizabeth	05 Mar 1970
9	G Kirsten	102	133	v India	Kolkata	27 Nov 1996
10	G Kirsten	77	108*	v Australia	Adelaide	30 Jan 1998
11	HH Gibbs	51	104	v Australia	Durban	15 Mar 2002
12	GC Smith	277	85	v England	Birmingham	24 Jul 2003
13	HH Gibbs	161	98	v England	Johannesburg	13 Jan 2005
14	AB de Villiers	92	109	v England	Centurion	21 Jan 2005
15	GC Smith	126	50*	v West Indies	St John’s	29 Apr 2005
16	ND McKenzie	94	155*	v India	Chennai	26 Mar 2008
17	GC Smith	53	115	v New Zealand	Dunedin	07 Mar 2012
18	SC Cook	59	117	v Sri Lanka	Port Elizabeth	26 Dec 2016
19	D Elgar	129	55	v Sri Lanka	Cape Town	02 Jan 2017
20	D Elgar	140	89	v New Zealand	Dunedin	08 Mar 2017

D Elgar became the second South African opening batsman to accomplish such a feat against New Zealand after GC Smith. GC Smith had made 53 and 115 at the same venue Dunedin iin Mar 2012. Both the occasions are furnished below

No	Player	FI	SI	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	GC Smith	53	115	v New Zealand	Dunedin	07 Mar 2012
2	D Elgar	140	89	v New Zealand	Dunedin	08 Mar 2017

GC Smith {03], D Elgar {02}. EJ Barlow {02},G Kirsten {02} and HH Gibbs {02] are the five South African batsmen who have accomplished the feat on two  or  more occasions. The  performance of these  five batsmen are furnished below

No	Player	FI	SI	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	GC Smith	277	85	v England	Birmingham	24 Jul 2003
2	GC Smith	126	50*	v West Indies	St John’s	29 Apr 2005
3	GC Smith	53	115	v New Zealand	Dunedin	07 Mar 2012
1	D Elgar	129	55	v Sri Lanka	Cape Town	02 Jan 2017
2	D Elgar	140	89	v New Zealand	Dunedin	08 Mar 2017
1	EJ Barlow	109	54	v Australia	Melbourne	01 Jan 1964
2	EJ Barlow	138	78	v England	Cape Town	01 Jan 1965
1	G Kirsten	102	133	v India	Kolkata	27 Nov 1996
2	G Kirsten	77	108*	v Australia	Adelaide	30 Jan 1998
1	HH Gibbs	51	104	v Australia	Durban	15 Mar 2002
2	HH Gibbs	161	98	v England	Johannesburg	13 Jan 2005

D Elgar of South Africa scored 140 and 89 in the ongoing test against New Zealand at Dunedin to provide the 55^th occasion of a South African batsman scoring a century and a fifty in a test including the occasions of centuries in both innings of a test. All such occasions are listed below

No	Player	FI	SI	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	GA Faulkner	78	123	v England	Johannesburg	01 Jan 1910
2	GA Faulkner	56	115	v Australia	Adelaide	07 Jan 1911
3	AW Nourse	64	111	v Australia	Johannesburg	12 Nov 1921
4	EL Dalton	117	57*	v England	The Oval	17 Aug 1935
5	A Melville	78	103	v England	Durban	03 Mar 1939
6	PGV van der Bijl	125	97	v England	Durban	03 Mar 1939
7	A Melville	189	104*	v England	Nottingham	07 Jun 1947
8	B Mitchell	120	189*	v England	The Oval	16 Aug 1947
9	AD Nourse	65	114	v Australia	Cape Town	31 Dec 1949
10	EAB Rowan	236	60*	v England	Leeds	26 Jul 1951
11	JHB Waite	115	59	v Australia	Johannesburg	23 Dec 1957
12	EJ Barlow	109	54	v Australia	Melbourne	01 Jan 1964
13	EJ Barlow	138	78	v England	Cape Town	01 Jan 1965
14	TL Goddard	60	112	v England	Johannesburg	22 Jan 1965
15	RG Pollock	137	77*	v England	Port Elizabeth	12 Feb 1965
16	RG Pollock	125	59	v England	Nottingham	05 Aug 1965
17	DT Lindsay	69	182	v Australia	Johannesburg	23 Dec 1966
18	BA Richards	81	126	v Australia	Port Elizabeth	05 Mar 1970
19	G Kirsten	102	133	v India	Kolkata	27 Nov 1996
20	BM McMillan	103*	59*	v India	Cape Town	02 Jan 1997
21	G Kirsten	77	108*	v Australia	Adelaide	30 Jan 1998
22	DJ Cullinan	113	68	v Sri Lanka	Cape Town	19 Mar 1998
23	WJ Cronje	126	67	v England	Nottingham	23 Jul 1998
24	JH Kallis	110	88*	v West Indies	Cape Town	02 Jan 1999
25	DJ Cullinan	103	73	v West Indies	Port of Spain	17 Mar 2001
26	DJ Cullinan	134	82	v West Indies	Bridgetown	29 Mar 2001
27	HH Gibbs	51	104	v Australia	Durban	15 Mar 2002
28	GC Smith	277	85	v England	Birmingham	24 Jul 2003
29	G Kirsten	130	60	v England	Leeds	21 Aug 2003
30	G Kirsten	54	118	v Pakistan	Faisalabad	24 Oct 2003
31	JH Kallis	73	130*	v West Indies	Cape Town	02 Jan 2004
32	JH Kallis	92	150*	v New Zealand	Hamilton	10 Mar 2004
33	JH Kallis	121	55	v India	Kolkata	28 Nov 2004
34	JH Kallis	149	66	v England	Cape Town	02 Jan 2005
35	HH Gibbs	161	98	v England	Johannesburg	13 Jan 2005
36	AB de Villiers	92	109	v England	Centurion	21 Jan 2005
37	GC Smith	126	50*	v West Indies	St John’s	29 Apr 2005
38	JH Kallis	111	50*	v Australia	Sydney	02 Jan 2006
39	JH Kallis	155	100*	v Pakistan	Karachi	01 Oct 2007
40	JH Kallis	59	107*	v Pakistan	Lahore	08 Oct 2007
41	ND McKenzie	94	155*	v India	Chennai	26 Mar 2008
42	HM Amla	159	81	v India	Chennai	26 Mar 2008
43	AB de Villiers	63	106*	v Australia	Perth	17 Dec 2008
44	HM Amla	114	123*	v India	Kolkata	14 Feb 2010
45	JH Kallis	110	62*	v West Indies	Basseterre	18 Jun 2010
46	HM Amla	80	118*	v Pakistan	Dubai (DSC)	12 Nov 2010
47	JH Kallis	73	135*	v Pakistan	Dubai (DSC)	12 Nov 2010
48	JH Kallis	161	109*	v India	Cape Town	02 Jan 2011
49	GC Smith	53	115	v New Zealand	Dunedin	07 Mar 2012
50	JA Rudolph	52	105*	v New Zealand	Dunedin	07 Mar 2012
51	F du Plessis	78	110*	v Australia	Adelaide	22 Nov 2012
52	HM Amla	109	96	v England	Centurion	22 Jan 2016
53	SC Cook	59	117	v Sri Lanka	Port Elizabeth	26 Dec 2016
54	D Elgar	129	55	v Sri Lanka	Cape Town	02 Jan 2017
55	D Elgar	140	89	v New Zealand	Dunedin	08 Mar 2017

D Elgar of South Africa scored 140 and 89 in the ongoing test against New Zealand at Dunedin to provide the fourth occasion of a South African batsman scoring a century and a fifty in a test against New Zealand.  All such occasions are listed below. D Elgar became the first South African batsman to score a century in the first innings and a fifty in the second innings against New Zealand.

No	Player	FI	SI	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	JH Kallis	92	150*	v New Zealand	Hamilton	10 Mar 2004
2	GC Smith	53	115	v New Zealand	Dunedin	07 Mar 2012
3	JA Rudolph	52	105*	v New Zealand	Dunedin	07 Mar 2012
4	D Elgar	140	89	v New Zealand	Dunedin	08 Mar 2017

G Kirsten {04}, HM Amla {04} and JH Kallis {11} are the three South African batsmen to accomplish such a feat on four or more occasions. The performance of these three batsmen is furnished below. 

No	Player	FI	SI	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	G Kirsten	102	133	v India	Kolkata	27 Nov 1996
2	G Kirsten	77	108*	v Australia	Adelaide	30 Jan 1998
3	G Kirsten	130	60	v England	Leeds	21 Aug 2003
4	G Kirsten	54	118	v Pakistan	Faisalabad	24 Oct 2003
1	HM Amla	159	81	v India	Chennai	26 Mar 2008
2	HM Amla	114	123*	v India	Kolkata	14 Feb 2010
3	HM Amla	80	118*	v Pakistan	Dubai (DSC)	12 Nov 2010
4	HM Amla	109	96	v England	Centurion	22 Jan 2016
1	JH Kallis	110	88*	v West Indies	Cape Town	02 Jan 1999
2	JH Kallis	73	130*	v West Indies	Cape Town	02 Jan 2004
3	JH Kallis	92	150*	v New Zealand	Hamilton	10 Mar 2004
4	JH Kallis	121	55	v India	Kolkata	28 Nov 2004
5	JH Kallis	149	66	v England	Cape Town	02 Jan 2005
6	JH Kallis	111	50*	v Australia	Sydney	02 Jan 2006
7	JH Kallis	155	100*	v Pakistan	Karachi	01 Oct 2007
8	JH Kallis	59	107*	v Pakistan	Lahore	08 Oct 2007
9	JH Kallis	110	62*	v West Indies	Basseterre	18 Jun 2010
10	JH Kallis	73	135*	v Pakistan	Dubai (DSC)	12 Nov 2010
11	JH Kallis	161	109*	v India	Cape Town	02 Jan 2011

It is interesting to note that all these batsmen have at least one occasion of scoring centuries in each innings of a test and one such occasion against India

No	Player	FI	SI	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	G Kirsten	102	133	v India	Kolkata	27 Nov 1996
2	HM Amla	114	123*	v India	Kolkata	14 Feb 2010
3	JH Kallis	155	100*	v Pakistan	Karachi	01 Oct 2007
4	JH Kallis	161	109*	v India	Cape Town	02 Jan 2011

At the end of just concluded test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at Galle, HMRKB Herath of Sri Lanka,  has created a record for most wickets by a left arm spin bowler in the annals of test cricket. He captured nine wickets in the test – three in the first and six in the second – which game him an aggregate of 366 wickets. He went past DL Vettori of New Zealand who had held the previous record for most wickets by a left arm spinner – 362 wickets

Sri Lanka won the just concluded Galle test against Bangladesh by 259 runs to provide the sixth occasion of Sri Lanka winning a test by 250 plus runs margin. All such occasions are listed below

No	Team	Result	Margin	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	Sri Lanka	won	465 runs	v Bangladesh	Chittagong	03 Jan 2009
2	Sri Lanka	won	315 runs	v Zimbabwe	Galle	12 Jan 2002
3	Sri Lanka	won	313 runs	v South Africa	Col-SSC	11 Aug 2004
4	Sri Lanka	won	288 runs	v Bangladesh	Col-SSC	28 Jul 2002
5	Sri Lanka	won	259 runs	v Bangladesh	Galle	07 Mar 2017
6	Sri Lanka	won	257 runs	v Zimbabwe	Harare	06 Nov 2016

Sri Lanka won the just concluded Galle test against Bangladesh by 259 runs to provide the third occasion of Sri Lanka winning a test against Bangladesh by 250 plus runs margin. All such occasions are listed below

No	Team	Result	Margin	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	Sri Lanka	won	465 runs	v Bangladesh	Chittagong	03 Jan 2009
2	Sri Lanka	won	288 runs	v Bangladesh	Col-SSC	28 Jul 2002
3	Sri Lanka	won	259 runs	v Bangladesh	Galle	07 Mar 2017

 

Anand on Cricket
India wins, Indians live and love
BY ANAND ON 7 MAR, 2017 IN FIELD REPORTS

“It’s a great day for singin’ a song and it’s a great day for movin’ along. And it’s a great day from morning to night. And it’s a great day for everybody’s plight.”

The immortal Lt. Col. Frank Slade, played by the peerless Al Pacino in the timeless movie, Scent of a Woman, goes from being the grumpiest sourpuss on the planet to the happiest man in the world in a classic scene that anyone who has watched the movie will remember as long as they live. To be at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, a nameless face among a throbbing sea of humanity in the stands of a great cricket ground on a day when the home team overcame a determined and worthy adversary was perhaps the closest one could come to feeling the euphoria that Pacino so expertly encapsulated.

The chants of India! India! were louder than the cheers of Ashwin! Ashwin! that followed earlier and, at least at the M4 stand, where your correspondent was parked, the spontaneous throat-swell out-decibelled the enthusiastic roars that Virat Kohli’s exhortations brought about. For a cricket reporter long used to the sanitised environs of air-conditioned press boxes, there was no better day to be in the crowd. The young lovers seated at the back of the stands unclasped hands as they crept to the edges of their seats. The policemen on security duty, briefly forgot they were in uniform, lathis raised in celebration. The catering staff, whose backs were turned to the action as they tended their stoves, lost track of their daily sales targets and sated their appetites for the good times.

To be in the crowd at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, and feel how much cricket, and this Indian team, meant to the good folk of Bangalore, who packed the stadium on a week day for a game in a format that was allegedly dying in this country, was more of a seratonin surge than any antidepressant ever prescribed.

India were ambushed in Pune, on a turning track, where Australia played far better cricket for the duration of the game, out-bowling, out-batting, out-fielding and even out-DRSing the home team. For long enough periods of the Bangalore Test, it seemed that the theme would continue. Kohli padded up to a ball that he should have known was destined for his stumps. Ashwin put in the effort, but the record-breaking number of overs bowled in a season seemed to have robbed his fingers and shoulders of the zip that made him a champion. Ishant Sharma made more cartoon faces than taking wickets, giving away vital boundaries while he was at it.

Just after lunch on the fourth day of the second Test, sitting in the stands with a veteran journalist friend, it was unclear if the crowd simply did not understand the game, or were blessed with an optimism that we were robbed off by years of watching Indian defeats and deadline-busting depression. Every half chance was cheered, every appeal backed up, every DRS call given out. The scoreboard still had Australia firmly in front, Australia 42 for 1 after only 9 overs, scoring at a rapid pace in pursuit of an eminently gettable 188. The pitch for all its cracks and alleged volatility, was giving the bowlers nothing even as they gave their all.

Steven Smith, the Australian captain, jumped around in his crease like a toddler on a trampoline, but seemed in no real trouble. India’s best bowler in this season, and arguably of the last few years, Ashwin, was being picked off for runs with no fuss. Ishant was being his usual unlucky self, coming in off his long run and bending his back without actually giving the batsmen any grief.

Then, Kohli, taking a break from his official duties as the man who gets the crowd involved in the game, pressed Ravindra Jadeja and Umesh Yadav into service. Between the 16th over and the 22nd over, only seven runs were scored, with one batsman dismissed.

Suddenly, it was India in charge and Australia on the hop. Just as Mitchell Starc dug into his reserves to produce a spell of extreme pace earlier in the day, Ashwin fell back on his abundant reserves of mental toughness and never-say-die grit.

The M4 stand had gone a touch quiet, post-prandial somnolence not being helped by the ultra-sweet grape juice and fresh-cut watermelon being hawked seat to seat on a warm afternoon. But this crowd, whose only jarring notes were chanting RCB! RCB! when India was fighting tooth and nail to win a Test and keep a series alive, and booing Australian batsmen after they had been dismissed, may not have appreciated the importance of the dry spell that Umesh and Jadeja induced.

But they sure found their voices once more when Ashwin reaped the rewards. Here was a situation where the workhorses had to tighten the screws so that the game-changers could screw the Titans. Smith went, big heart and exceptional hands not enough to withstand a withering examination. Shaun Marsh did not quite know what he had gotten himself into and it was suggested to him to go for a DRS review, he misunderstood and went back to the dressing-room instead. Matthew Wade gave his opposite number a chance to show his athleticism, Wriddhiman Saha flying through the air in slow motion to wrap the big gloves around a ball that might’ve evaded the close-in fielder on the leg side. When Ashwin gleefully snapped up the return catch from the man who had shaded him with 8 for 50 in the first innings, and threw the ball into orbit, India had sealed the deal.

More importantly, Ashwin had given the thousands at the Chinnaswamy Stadium exactly what they wanted: to be a part of a famous India victory. They loved every Indian bowler’s success and they lived every ooh and aah when Australia’s batsmen fought back. Not every Indian fan will appreciate the sacrifices that their millionaire heroes make, fewer will empathise when one of their Gods shows his feet of clay and none put much store in Rudyard Kipling’s wisdom of treating triumph and disasters, those impostors, just the same.

These thousands took time off from work, made excuses to loved ones and braved the elements to watch something from an uncomfortable seat in an ageing stadium when they could have done better at home or in any one of Bangalore’s innumerable comfy bars. It is for them that cricket is played. It is they who make India the most powerful cricket board in the world.

India’s billions and Australia’s millions may have paid for this Test match by watching it on television, but the heartbeat of the game is still in the stands.

Having been fortunate enough to sit at Eden Gardens when Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman worked enough magic to resuscitate Indian cricket back in 2001, to walking the streets outside the Wankhede Stadium in the wee hours of April 2, as Mahendra Singh Dhoni, with a piratical twirl, brought the World Cup back, it was the greatest gift to be sitting in the stands at the Chinnaswamy Stadium when Kohli’s India gave their supporters a day to remember.

At once, India’s cricketers and their fans were in sync. And the the energy that came from this will power the great game’s good health forever and a day.

(This piece first appeared on Cricbuzz on March 7, 2017)