On an eventful day of Test cricket in Kanpur, India etched several new records into the annals of cricket history, pushing the boundaries of what’s achievable in the sport. The first two days were marred by inclement weather, but the Indian cricket team showed no signs of rustiness as they aggressively forced the Test ahead, proving their mettle and intent on the pitch.
India became the pioneering team to notch up 50 runs within the first three overs of an innings, achieving this milestone off just 2.6 overs. This spectacular feat shattered the prior record set by England, who managed the same in 4.2 overs against the West Indies in a recent Test series. India didn’t stop there; they continued to rack up records for reaching 100 (in 10.1 overs), 150 (in 18.2 overs), 200 (in 24.2 overs), and 250 runs (in 30.1 overs) faster than any team before them.
In a brilliant display of power hitting, India also recorded 96 sixes in the calendar year 2024, surpassing England’s 89 sixes in 2022. With 87 maximums the previous year, India has firmly cemented its reputation as a team that likes to clear the ropes. Considering the ongoing Test and the remaining matches for the year, this tally is expected to grow even further.
The blistering batting performance saw India achieving a scoring rate of 8.22 in their innings, eclipsing the previous highest ever by any team that scored 200 or more runs. Australia’s 7.53 (241/2 dec in 32 overs) against Pakistan in Sydney in 2017 was the previous record-holder, while South Africa’s 6.80 (340/3 dec in 50 overs) against Zimbabwe in Cape Town in 2005 was the highest in a team’s first innings.
A monumental opening stand between Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal yielded 55 runs off just 23 balls, making for a partnership scoring rate of 14.
.34—the highest ever in a 50+ stand in Tests. This incredible rate overshadowed the 11.86 recorded by Ben Stokes and Ben Duckett during their unbeaten 87-run stand against the West Indies in Edgbaston.
Notably, this match marked only the second instance where two batters reached 50 in 35 balls or fewer in the same innings, with Jaiswal hitting 31 balls and KL Rahul 33. The previous occurrence also belongs to India, with Rohit Sharma (35 balls) and Ishan Kishan (33 balls) accomplishing it against West Indies in Port of Spain last year. Jaiswal’s quickfire 31-ball half-century ranks as the second fastest by an Indian batter on home soil, trailing only Rishabh Pant’s 26-ball effort against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru in 2022.
The day saw a total of 437 runs scored by both teams combined, the second-most on Indian soil in a day’s play. This tally, surpassed only by the 470 runs between India and Sri Lanka at Brabourne Stadium in 2009, also set a record for the highest score on the scheduled fourth day or beyond of a Test in Asia. An astonishing 18 wickets fell during the day’s play, making it the most number of wickets to fall on a day where 400 or more runs were recorded.
On the bowling front, Ravindra Jadeja joined an elite list, becoming the seventh Indian bowler to reach 300 Test wickets. At 35 years and 299 days, Jadeja is the oldest among the seven to reach this milestone. His 17,428 deliveries to achieve this feat make him the second quickest, surpassed only by R Ashwin’s 15,636 balls. Jadeja’s journey to amassing 3000+ runs and 300+ wickets in just 74 Tests is a testament to his all-round prowess, making him the second quickest to this double, trailing only Ian Botham’s 72 Tests. He is the third Indian after Kapil Dev and R Ashwin to accomplish this feat.
Mominul Haque of Bangladesh had his share of the spotlight with an unbeaten 107, which he topped after averaging a mere 12.00 in eight innings (96 runs) in India before this century. This is the lowest average by any batter at the time of their maiden century on Indian soil, with Ricky Ponting’s 12.29 (172 runs in 14 innings) before his first Indian century in 2008 as the previous low.
In conclusion, the day in Kanpur witnessed records shattering as India set unprecedented milestones, rewrote history books, and carried the spirit of Test cricket to new heights with a remarkable display of skill and intent.