In a thrilling display of Test cricket in Kanpur, India catapulted the Test match forward after two days were washed out, breaking numerous records along the way. The aggressive intent with which the Indian team approached the game has now cemented their place in the annals of cricket history, their efforts creating a memorable day for cricket enthusiasts worldwide.
Indian cricket fans were given a reason to celebrate as India became the first team to reach 50 runs within the initial three overs of an innings, achieving this unprecedented feat in just 2.6 overs. This remarkable speed surpassed the previous record of 4.2 overs set by England twice during their recent Test series against the West Indies. But India did not stop there. The team went on to break records for the fastest teams to 100, 150, 200, and 250 runs in an innings, clocking these milestones in just 10.1, 18.2, 24.2, and 30.1 overs, respectively.
India’s aggressive batting saw them smash an incredible 96 sixes in the calendar year of 2024 so far, the highest for any team in a year. This achievement surpassed England’s 89 sixes in 2022, with India’s previous best being 87 sixes in 2021. With possibly another innings in the ongoing Kanpur Test and seven more Tests to play before the year closes, India’s tally could rise even further, setting new benchmarks for future teams to chase.
One of the most stellar aspects of India’s innings in Kanpur was their batting rate. With a scoring rate of 8.22 runs per over, India set the record for the highest ever in an innings where they amassed more than 200 runs. This broke the previous record held by Australia, who scored at a rate of 7.53 (241/2 declared in 32 overs) against Pakistan in Sydney in 2017. In terms of a first innings score, the previous best was South Africa’s 6.80 (340/3 declared in 50 overs) against Zimbabwe in Cape Town in 2005.
The opening stand between Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal was particularly noteworthy. Their opening partnership scored at an astonishing rate of 14.34 runs per over, amassing 55 runs off just 23 balls.
. This scoring rate shattered the prior record of 11.86 set by England’s Ben Stokes and Ben Duckett against the West Indies at Edgbaston only a few months ago.
This Test was also marked by another unique achievement. For the second recorded instance in Test cricket, two Indian batters managed to score half-centuries in 35 balls or fewer in the same innings. Jaiswal reached his fifty in just 31 balls, while KL Rahul followed closely, getting his in 33 balls. The first such instance also involved the Indian team during a Test against the West Indies in Port of Spain the previous year, where Rohit Sharma took 35 balls and Ishan Kishan only 33 balls to reach their fifties. Notably, Jaiswal’s 31-ball half-century stands as the second quickest by an Indian on home soil, surpassed only by Rishabh Pant, who scored a 26-ball fifty against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru in 2022.
In a day filled with excitement, a total of 437 runs were scored by both teams combined, marking the second-highest tally in a day’s play on Indian soil. This is just behind the 470 runs scored on the second day of the match between India and Sri Lanka at the Brabourne Stadium in 2009. Moreover, 437 runs in a day’s play is the highest on the fourth day or beyond in any Asian Test. Adding to the day’s dramatic events, 18 wickets fell, which is the most recorded for a day where runs were scored in excess of 400.
Ravindra Jadeja further lifted the Indian spirits by becoming the seventh Indian bowler to claim 300 Test wickets. Jadeja achieved this milestone at the age of 35 years and 299 days, making him the oldest Indian bowler to do so. He reached this landmark in 17,428 deliveries, making him the second quickest among Indians, just behind R Ashwin’s 15,636 deliveries. Jadeja also became the second fastest to achieve the remarkable double of 3000+ runs and 300+ wickets in 74 Tests, only two Tests more than the legendary Ian Botham. He is the 11th player in the world and the third Indian, following the footsteps of Kapil Dev and Ashwin, to clinch this double, with a noteworthy batting-bowling average differential of 12.39, second only to Imran Khan’s 14.88.
Adding more intrigue to the day’s play, Mominul Haque of Bangladesh scored an unbeaten 107 in the first innings, lifting his average in India to 12.00 from just eight innings (96 runs). This was the lowest average for any batter before scoring their first century on Indian soil among those with five or more innings. The previous lowest belonged to Ricky Ponting, who averaged 12.29 (172 runs in 14 innings) before scoring his maiden century in India during his third tour in 2008.
The enthralling day of Test cricket in Kanpur has rejuvenated interest and passion among cricket lovers worldwide, setting new standards and records for future generations to aspire to.