Flashback: The only Indian batsman to face 500-plus balls in a Test innings
Patience is an important virtue that a batsman should inculcate in himself if he wants to succeed in Test cricket. For, Test cricket is a long-drawn battle. India have produced several batting maestros who have worn the whites for the country.
Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Virat Kohli are legends who will forever shine forth in the annals of Indian cricketing history for the surreal feats that they accomplished with the willow. But then, there is one feat that has proven to be out of reach even for these immortal batting icons.
And that is, facing 500 or more deliveries in a Test innings. The only Indian batsman to have faced over 500 deliveries in a Test innings is the current Indian batting mainstay, Cheteshwar Pujara. Pujara accomplished this feat in March 2017, during the 3rd Test between India and Australia at Ranchi.
Watch the highlights of Pujara’s epic double century here.
Australia batted first and scored a mammoth 451 runs in their first innings. But then, Pujara made the Australians chase leather. He walked in with India’s scorecard reading 91/1 and scored a classic 202. He consumed 525 balls in the process and proved to be absolutely impenetrable. Pujara spent a whopping 672 minutes at the crease, and his mammoth vigil was studded with 21 hits to the fence.
Pujara’s double ton helped India post a total of 603/9 on the board. Apart from Pujara, wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha scored a 233-ball 117 as well. Australia ended their second innings with their scorecard reading 204/6 and the match ended in a draw.
And, for his double century that kept the Australian bowlers at bay, Pujara walked away with the Player of the Match award. Pujara is critical to India’s fortunes in Test cricket. The right-hander has represented India in 85 Test matches and has scored 6244 runs at an average of 46.60. He has also scored 18 centuries and 29 fifties as well.
Pujara will next walk onto the field on 18th June 2021 when India clashes against New Zealand in the summit clash of the World Test Championship (WTC).
