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Stats highlights from the incredible tied game between New Zealand and England in Napier

S Rajesh20-Feb-2008

A statistical analysis of Mahela Jayawardene’s reign as Sri Lankan captain

S Rajesh11-Feb-2009With 15 wins in 26 Tests (and an opportunity to add two more in Pakistan) and 54 from 94 ODIs, Mahela Jayawardene is easily Sri Lanka’s most successful captain in both forms of the game. More than just the number of wins, though, under him Sri Lanka also learnt the art of winning away from home more regularly against stronger opposition, beating England, New Zealand and West Indies in overseas Tests.Admittedly, seven of his 15 Test victories came against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, and 25 out of 54 ODI triumphs were achieved against lesser sides, but Sri Lanka still performed better in both forms of the game than they had under most other leaders. (Click here, and then scroll down, for a comparison of Sri Lanka’s record against top teams under each captain in Tests, and here for ODIs.)

Though Sri Lanka reached the final of the World Cup with Jayawardene in charge, overall they did better in Tests. In the ODIs they performed patchily, winning 29 and losing 33 games against the top teams. The most surprising aspect was their vulnerability at home, where they lost 13 games and won only seven against the top teams, losing two series against India and one against England.

Despite going through a batting slump over the last three months of his captaincy – he averaged 14.13 in his last 15 innings – he still finished with a captaincy average of 34.22, about three runs higher than his average before he took over that position. Against the top teams, the difference is even higher – 38.29 as captain in 70 games, and 30.29 when he wasn’t the leader.

In Tests, though, his numbers rose spectacularly after he took charge of the team. His first century as captain came in his ninth innings, a superb 119 in a drawn game at Lord’s, but thereafter the runs came thick and fast, the highlight being his monumental 374 in Colombo against South Africa. He led the team in five overseas countries in Tests, and scored hundreds in four of them – Australia, England, West Indies and Bangladesh. The only country he missed out in was New Zealand, where he scored only 39 runs in four innings.

Jayawardene’s Test average of 64.70 is an outstanding one, and it looks even better when put in perspective: among batsmen who led their teams in at least 20 matches, Jayawardene’s average as leader is next only to Don Bradman’s 101.51. In fact, no other batsman has an average of more than 60. Jayawardene needs to ensure those numbers don’t slip in his last two Tests as captain, after which the challenge will be to continue the run-fest under a new captain.

India’s young batting star dropped his pants on debut, missed the team bus countless times, and has an obsession with a certain number

Nagraj Gollapudi04-Jun-2009<!–So, what did you buy with your IPL prize money?
I haven’t got the money yet, but I will be investing it in buying some real estate in Mumbai. –>Tell us something we don’t know about you.
People think I’m quiet, but that’s not the case.Are you lazy?
Yes. I love to sleep.Have you ever missed the team bus?
Quite a few times. I even did it during the IPL, with Deccan Chargers. And I’ve been penalised many times. At times I have ended up paying my day’s perks for the entire day’s meals [for the team] whenever I’ve missed the India bus.Talking about food, we’ve heard you love eating eggs?
Yes, once I ate 25 fried eggs at one go.Who’s a batsman you would pay to watch?
Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh. I enjoy watching left-handers.You’re an avid collector of t-shirts, apparently?
I picked up 10 Ed Hardy t-shirts on my last trip to Australia, two years ago.Do you have any autographed souvenirs?
I got two of my bats signed by every team member after we won the 2007 World Twenty20 and the CB Series in Australia in 2008. Both were amazing victories and I wanted something to remember them by.What’s the one thing you never forget to pack when going on a tour?
My boxers!Is it true you have this thing about the number five?
It is my lucky number. I like to stay in rooms whose numbers add up to five, for example.What’s the one thing you always take with you wherever you go?
I was gifted a small idol, and I always keep that close.Do you have any treasured mementos from early in your career?
I still have the Vampire bat with which I scored the first century of my life. That was when I was 12.When you were younger, was there anything you wanted to own when you were grown up?
I like BMWs. I even used to collect posters and stickers of them. As a teenager I would tell my friends that one day I would own one. Luckily, I now own a white BMW 5 series.What do hotel rooms need to make them more enjoyable?
They should have big bathtubs, not just showers.What has been the most embarrassing moment of your career?
On my first tour, in Ireland, I had to slide to stop the ball on the ropes. But in the process my trousers slid down too and the crowd had a good laugh. I was all red behind the ears with my pants down.Describe yourself in a few words?
Tough and easy going.What’s the drink you celebrate victory with?
Champagne.What’s been the best compliment you’ve received?
Adam Gilchrist said during this IPL: “You are one of the big talents, not only for India but in world cricket. You are going to be one of the brightest stars in the future.” I couldn’t stop feeling nice.

For a depleted India to successfully chase a total which, given the reputation this venue has, was one of those awkward in-between targets was creditable

Jamie Alter at the Premadasa Stadium11-Sep-2009After a month’s gap before starting a new season, a depleted India could probably not have asked for a better opposition to get some momentum going and move to No. 1 in the ICC’s ODI rankings. Despite a brief slip during their chase of a modest target, the result was never in doubt from the moment New Zealand lost customary early wickets at the start of their innings. For a depleted India to successfully chase a total which, given the reputation this venue has, was one of those awkward targets was creditable, though MS Dhoni will probably admit there is a little room for improvement.India’s batting had struggled over the past couple months, especially against good fast bowling, and the evidence presented tonight was a bit worrying. Dinesh Karthik went early, beaten for pace, Rahul Dravid pottered about for 14 runs in 45 balls, unsettled by Shane Bond’s hostile first spell, while Yuvraj Singh’s impetuosity and ineptitude against top-class spin was again exposed. Sachin Tendulkar eased back with a stroke-filled innings before he was undone by a slower ball.At 84 for 4 there might have been the odd quiver in the Indian dressing room. Dhoni has spoken of how India didn’t have a fixed batting line-up and how that had been crucial to their success as a winning unit over the past two years. That mindset was again reflected today as Dhoni pushed himself up and held back Suresh Raina. Yuvraj, sent in at No. 4, disappointed: he struggled against spin and tried to hit his way out of trouble, only to top-edge. Raina was positive – and more successful than Yuvraj – from the start and displayed some eye-catching shots either side of the track to keep runs ticking and his captain calm at one end. His unbeaten 54-ball 45 was a cool innings under pressure.Dhoni could afford to bide his time because of the quick work done by Tendulkar, back in the side and at his best position, in scoring 46 from 55 balls. Dhoni has tempered his game, more so since becoming captain, and has become a reliable man when the run rate rises; he has especially been good at the tip-and-run game. He has closeted many of the shots that made him such a feared one-day batsman, but he remains a real threat in the middle over. Circumstances have shaped Dhoni’s game and there are others who have had to alter their approach, and one of them played a key role in the afternoon.A year ago it would have been unimaginable that Ashish Nehra would be opening the bowling for India. But Nehra, after taking 19 wickets at 18.21 in this year’s IPL, made an impressive comeback in the international circuit after almost four years. He has had to cut down on pace due to the number of injuries he sustained, but Nehra believes he is now ready to lead the Indian pace attack in the Champions Trophy in the absence of the injured Zaheer Khan. And he was excellent today, bowling with intelligence and assurance. Significantly, Nehra was successful at two junctures, landing two crippling blows at the start and then stifling the tail. After receiving the Man-of-the-Match award, Nehra spoke of how a difficult four years away from the team strengthened his desire to come back hard.India’s new-ball pair of Nehra and RP Singh – and perhaps a few more fast bowlers on the international circuit – will want to take this New Zealand top order with them across the globe. Up against batsmen short of confidence and runs, there was little pressure on Nehra, RP and Ishant Sharma. New Zealand were yet again caught amidships, uncertain as to what approach to adopt, and the margin of error was significant. All three fast bowlers bowled impressive spells that spanned the length of the innings, after which Yuvraj Singh came on and prised out two wickets for nothing, but Sri Lanka will offer a tougher test of their temperament on Saturday.After a month’s break, and in their first match of a new season, India have done enough to indicate they are back in business.

If Tests were played like Grand Slam tennis matches, with each day equating to a set, then England would currently be leading 2-1 at Chittagong

Andrew Miller in Chittagong14-Mar-2010If Tests were played like Grand Slam tennis matches, with each day equating to a set, then England would currently be leading 2-1 at Chittagong – 6-0, 6-1, 5-7 – but with Bangladesh having shown sufficient tenacity to scrap their way back into the contest, and give themselves a slim hope of taking the game to a decider.Unfortunately for Tamim Iqbal and his colleagues, not to mention the neutral spectators who have probably now drifted off to watch the IPL, this game is surely already out of sight, despite their best day of the tour so far. In a peculiar sequence of misguided strategies, England started by giving Bangladesh’s bowlers too much respect by packing their side with batsmen, only for Bangladesh themselves to baulk at the compliment by fielding first and gift-wrapping a 600-run handicap.The net result has been a slow bleeding of Bangladesh’s resistance in this contest, rather than the swift neck-crack that might have been administered in the past – and while that still counts as progress of a sort, it rather undermines the true value of their spirited fightback on a sappingly humid third day.Their gutsy lower-order batting, coupled with a sparky effort second-time around in the field, could yet be sufficient to give them a get-out, despite the fact that they were still restricted to less than half of their opponent’s first-innings total. But from the manner in which wickets began to tumble on a livelier-than-anticipated third-innings surface, survival will be a stern challenge, especially against a bowler as guileful as Graeme Swann.”We’re 430 ahead after three days and you can’t argue with that,” said Swann. “Yes, we lost a couple of wickets at the end which isn’t ideal, but with two days to play I think we’re in the box seat. We picked the best possible team to win this game, and I’ve got no qualms because we’re in a magnificent position.”In truth, England picked a team to guard against embarrassment, and their subsequent strategy has been tweaked accordingly. The absence of a fifth bowler made Alastair Cook’s refusal of the follow-on inevitable, no matter how negative it might appear to the outside world. With just three frontline pacemen, one of whom is on debut and another of whom was an injury doubt coming into the match, going for broke was never going to be countenanced. There’s a time and a place for big statements – the here and now is simply about getting a job done.

James Tredwell: Super sub

Accidents and excellence contributed significantly to England’s dominant position by the close of the third day. Tim Bresnan produced a sensational seamer to dislodge the rock of Bangladesh’s innings, Tamim Iqbal; Michael Carberry slid and threw expertly to run out Naeem Islam; but the star turn was reserved for a player who, last week, thought he was set for a Test debut.
James Tredwell’s omission was unexpected selection, but he didn’t let the disappointment get him down. In the 91st over, he trotted onto the field while his captain, Alastair Cook, paid a visit to “Mr Armitage Shanks”, as Graeme Swann euphemistically described it afterwards, and proceeded to intercept the catch of his life.
“It the best catch I’ve ever had taken off my bowling, and I wish everyone could field like that,” said Swann, after Tredwell, at short midwicket, dived back and across to pluck a thunderous pull from Mushfiqur Rahim in his outstretched left hand. “I was just overjoyed Cooky was off the field, because there was no chance he’d have caught that.
“You’re always told, if you’re not playing, to try and make an impact in whatever way you can,” Swann said. “Taking the best catch of your career is probably the best way to do that. Unlike me. When I came on as a sub, I threw the ball over the keeper’s head for four.”
As an individual moment, Tredwell’s snaffle trumped Bresnan’s ball of the day – a seamer so wicked it appeared from the distance to have flown off Tamim’s edge to be dropped by the keeper, Matt Prior. Instead, the deflection had come from the top of the off stump, as Tamim departed for an excellent 86.
“I was aiming for a big one, but that kind of delivery can get any world-class cricket player out,” he said. “It was a good ball, but I will concentrate on the next innings.”

“The follow-on was discussed but we felt this was the best way to win the game,” said Swann. “From the one-dayers we played beforehand, Bangladesh showed they’ve got some capable batsmen and some capable bowlers, so it’s no surprise they are putting up a fight. We’ll have to perform well in the second innings to win.”The pitch is excellent, but we knew it would be good,” he added. “You have to work hard after the ball goes dead, and if a guy gets in you have to work hard to get rid of them. But we’ve got a bit of reverse-swing going and there’s always a little bit of turn, with the odd one hitting a crack and going a bit more, so we’re confident.”All the same, by laying claim to the third-day honours, Bangladesh ensured that their confidence is as high as it has been all week – and given that they started the game in disarray following the walk-out of Raqibul Hasan, the recovery, no matter how partial, is a testament to their collective determination.”At the moment it is difficult for us, but I think the match has not ended yet,” said Tamim, whose superb 86 was ended by the ball of the match from Tim Bresnan. “I think they are eyeing a lead close to 500 runs, but we scored more than 400 in the fourth innings in a Test match against Sri Lanka in Dhaka, so who knows? You cannot predict in cricket what will happen in a game. If two or three of us can play a big innings, only Allah can say what will happen.”Once Tamim had departed, the cause was taken up by his diminutive team-mate, Mushfiqur Rahim, whose fighting 79 allowed Bangladesh to all but double their overnight 154 for 5. Despite looking like a schoolboy he batted like a man, dancing at the crease to keep both spin and seam at bay, before finally succumbing to a stunning take at short midwicket from the substitute fielder, James Tredwell.”Short blokes are quite tricky to bowl at,” said Swann. “When a chap is knee-high to a grasshopper it’s quite hard to get your length right, but he batted really well. It’s always nice to have a big guy lunging down the wicket giving you easy bat-pad chances, but I thought Bangladesh batted really well today, in the hour before and the hour after lunch. We’ll have our work cut out to bowl them out in the second innings.””It will be difficult, but not impossible,” said Tamim. “We’ve got some good players, and everyone is capable of making big scores, so if two or three play big innings everything is possible. We are now mentally strong, and we all know we have to perform well in the next innings.”

We’ll never know how great Shane Bond could have been with a more resilient body. We do know he was one of the finest fast bowlers of his time

Brydon Coverdale14-May-2010Across the road from Seddon Park in Hamilton, there’s a sign that says “Return trundlers here”. It’s in a supermarket car-park and it refers to shopping carts, but it’s easy to imagine a parade of New Zealand seamers lining up there upon retirement over the years. Shane Bond won’t be joining them. Far from being a trundler, Bond was New Zealand’s best fast bowler since Richard Hadlee, and a man who did his finest work against the classiest batsmen of his generation.In a New Zealand team full of honest toilers and patchy performers, Bond stood out as the one man likely to destroy the opposition. Daniel Vettori is a terrific bowler but opponents are wary of him rather than frightened. Bond had the fear factor. He could bowl well into the 150kph region, swung the new ball with skill, and was a master of the toe-crushing, stump-shattering yorker.Consider the batsmen he dismissed the most in internationals: Ricky Ponting, Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Virender Sehwag, Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara – huge wickets, every one of them. The man at the head of that list was asked earlier this year what New Zealand could do to become more competitive in Tests. Ponting thought the question over for a while, and then replied: “Ask Shane Bond to come back and play, that would be a good start.”He only ever played two Tests against Australia and it was the last series between the teams that was genuinely competitive. New Zealanders will remember with special fondness his regular demolitions of Australia, at a time when they were unquestionably the best side in the world. He took 44 one-day wickets against them at an incredible 15.79, including a match-winning five-for in his debut series and one of only two ODI hat-tricks ever taken by a New Zealander.Perhaps his most memorable day against Australia came in the 2003 World Cup, when he beat Adam Gilchrist for pace, had Ponting caught at slip with a wonderful fast outswinger, and finished with 6 for 23. They are remarkable figures in any ODI but even more significantly, they came against a team that went through the tournament undefeated.The downside to his achievements was that he expended so much physical effort that he became as much a fixture of the doctor’s waiting room as out-of-date magazines. Often it was his back, but he also had trouble with his feet, knees, abdomen – pretty much anywhere the strain of his unrelenting exertion was felt. It was revealing that earlier this week he told Cricinfo he’d rather have a short, successful career, than prolong it and have his results suffer.We’ll never be sure just how great he could have been, had he been blessed with a more resilient body. We do know that he has the all-time best ODI bowling average for a New Zealander, and his country’s lowest Test bowling average with a 50-wicket qualification. The sad part is, make it a 100-wicket minimum and Bond wouldn’t qualify. He retired from Tests in December and has now given up all forms.There was a decade between Hadlee’s retirement and the emergence of Bond, and in the meantime, plenty of trundlers were tried and returned. Here’s hoping New Zealand don’t have to wait ten years for their next great fast bowler to arrive.

Compared to other teams, New Zealand have been most susceptible to top-order collapses, and it happened yet again in Nagpur

S Rajesh25-Feb-2011New Zealand’s shambolic top-order batting ruined another match which was billed as one of the big ones of the group stage of the World Cup. The format of the tournament means such games, involving two Test-playing sides, are rare to start with, and it doesn’t help when these games become one-sided as well. The South Africa-West Indies game was a no-contest as well, which means two matches in two days have failed to live up to expectations.This time around, the fault squarely lay with New Zealand’s batsmen, who put in another depressingly familiar and limp display. In 116 ODIs since the beginning of 2006, New Zealand have lost half their side for less than 100 on 28 occasions – that’s more than once every four matches, which is quite an indictment of their specialist batsmen. The corresponding numbers for India are 24 times in 160 matches (once every 6.67 games), for South Africa it’s nine in 111 (once every 12.33 games), and for Australia it’s once every 14 matches.The way New Zealand’s top batsmen went about tackling Australia’s pace attack was quite perplexing – they forgot about the singles, and attempted low-percentage, high-risk shots. The result was a fair number of boundaries, but also plenty of dot balls and wickets. The most shocking stat was the fact that New Zealand managed all of four singles in the first 15 overs, which allowed Australia’s bowlers to build and sustain pressure, and work on a batsman for prolonged periods. New Zealand scored two runs more than Australia off fours and sixes, and yet finished up 40 runs behind on the overall score at the end of 15 overs.

Among the batsmen who disappointed was Ross Taylor, who continued a prolonged run of poor form: in the last two years (since March 1, 2009), Taylor averages 28.86 in 39 innings, with nine single-digit scores in his last 16 outings.For Australia, on the other hand, there was little to be worried about, as they notched up their sixth World Cup win in eight matches against New Zealand. In each of the last three tournaments, the victory margins have been emphatic – 96 runs in 2003, 215 in 2007, and seven wickets this time. Brett Lee was arguably their best bowler, but Mitchell Johnson ended up with his second successive four-wicket haul, which makes him only the sixth bowler – and the third Australian – to achieve this in World Cups. The ones who’ve achieved it earlier are Gary Gilmour in 1975, Ashantha de Mel in 1983, Imran Khan in 1987, Shane Warne in 1999, and Muttiah Muralitharan in 2007.And while New Zealand’s No.4 is struggling, Australia’s seems to have regained his mojo. Michael Clarke completed the formalities with an unbeaten 24, and in the process became the ninth Australian to reach the 6000-run mark in ODIs. In his last four innings he has scored 218 runs and been dismissed only twice. Ricky Ponting touched 13,000 runs in ODIs in which he represented Australia – he scored 115 in one match for ICC World XI – but also managed a less memorable milestone when he was stumped for the 15th time in his career, thus equalling Wasim Akram’s record for the most number of such dismissals in ODIs.

A look back at some of the finest individual efforts in the history of India-England Tests

Siddarth Ravindran21-Jul-2011Vinoo Mankad

8 for 55 and 4 for 53, Madras, 1952
India’s two-decade wait for a maiden Test win came to an end at Chepauk. Centuries from Pankaj Roy and Polly Umrigar were important, but the victory was crafted by Vinoo Mankad’s left-arm-spin. Introduced into the attack when England were 65 for 1 in the first innings on a flat pitch, Mankad ran through the line-up – bagging 8 for 55 in 38.5 nagging overs. noted in its report that “his performance has seldom been bettered in Test cricket.” He took four more wickets in the second innings, becoming the first Indian to take a ten-for in Tests. All this after India had been drubbed inside three days in the previous Test, and in the final match of a series where five changes were made to the XI in every game.Vinoo Mankad
72 and 184, 5 for 196, Lord’s, 1952
Months after his heroics in Madras, Mankad found himself out of the team and in the Lancashire League, missing India’s first Test in England, the infamous 0 for 4 match. Hectic negotiations ensured Mankad was drafted in for the second Test at Lord’s. It came to be known as Mankad’s match. On the first day, he top scored with a brisk 72 as India folded for 235. Then Mankad carried an inexperienced attack by bowling 73 overs, taking five wickets as England piled up the runs. Describing the spell, the cricket writer Sujit Mukherjee said, “Mankad seemed to have discovered the secret of perpetual motion.” Mankad’s best was yet to come though – a blistering 184 in the second innings when no one else made a half-century. It still wasn’t enough to prevent an eight-wicket defeat.Fred Trueman
8 for 31 and 1 for 9, Old Trafford, 1952
Fiery Fred’s journey to become the first bowler to 300 Test wickets began with a barnstorming performance in his debut series. He fired out 15 Indian batsmen in his first two Tests but the most destructive spell was in his third, when he ripped through a demoralised unit at Old Trafford. He needed only 8.4 overs of frightening pace to grab eight wickets. It remains the fewest overs needed for an eight-for. India keeled over for 58, equalling their lowest total. Trueman finished the series with 29 wickets at 13.22, and the world was introduced to an exciting new fast bowling talent.BS Chandrasekhar
2 for 76 and 6 for 38, The Oval, 1971
The wizardry of BS Chandrasekhar set up India’s first win in England, resulting in what is still regarded as their finest overseas series victory. England, the best side in the world, had gone 26 matches without defeat. After two draws, they had a 71-run lead in the first innings of the final Test. Instead of building on that advantage, however, they were bamboozled by Chandra for 101, their lowest score against India. Chandra was not the traditional legspinner, bowling quickly through the air and relying on the googly, his stock delivery. His accuracy was backed up by some top-class close catching and he ran through England in a spell rated by Wisden as the best Indian bowling performance of the century. The victory was sweeter for Chandra as it was his comeback series after more than three years out of the team.India savour their first Test win in England•Getty ImagesJohn Lever
53, 7 for 46 and 3 for 24, Delhi
Like Narendra Hirwani and Bob Massie, John Lever never replicated the brilliance of his debut Test. Not only did he begin with a ten-wicket haul, he also made his highest Test score, a bloody-minded 53 off 194 balls. He may recall the half-century more fondly than his ten-for, since he only reached fifty on two other occasions in 540 first-class attempts. Picked for the India tour as back up to the faster Bob Willis and Chris Old, a change of ball early in the Indian innings in Delhi made him the chief destroyer. Lever had the ball snaking around as India lost four wickets for eight runs in 16 deliveries. India were bowled out for 122, and in the second innings Lever took three late wickets to seal the win.Sunil Gavaskar
221, The Oval, 1979
Perhaps the greatest innings in a monumental career, Sunil Gavaskar’s masterclass nearly pulled off one of the most daring heists in Test history. Mike Brearley’s declaration, after England were dominant for more than three days, left India needing 438 in about 500 minutes. There was little indication that India were pursuing victory as Gavaskar and Chetan Chauhan started sedately, reaching 76 for 0 at stumps. The tempo was different on the final day, though, as Gavaskar opened out, especially during a 153-run stand for the second wicket with Bombay team-mate Dilip Vengsarkar. At 366 for 1 and 12 overs remaining, India were favourites, before a slew of wickets in a gripping final hour – including Gavaskar’s tired shot to mid-off – resulted in India ending at 429 for 8. Gavaskar, inexplicably sacked as leader before the tour, was renamed captain as India took the flight home.Ian Botham
114, 6 for 58 and 7 for 48, Bombay, 1980
The one-off Test to mark the golden jubilee of the BCCI was all about one man’s performance. Botham was at his unstoppable best. On a grassy track and in overcast conditions, he sliced through India to finish with 6 for 58. The next day was a rest day, because of a total eclipse, and when the match resumed, England were reduced to 58 for 5, unable to cope with a moving ball. Enter Botham. In two hours and 26 minutes he smacked 114, adding 171 for the sixth wicket with Bob Taylor. He was still not done though. He bowled unchanged from just before lunch until the end of the third day, taking six more wickets. He capped the day with one of his legendary drinking sessions, before returning next morning to take a wicket in the first over. It was the first time anyone had done the double of ten wickets and a hundred in a match, and it resulted in India’s only home defeat in 31 Tests.Graham Gooch
333 and 123, Lord’s 1990
India had their moments during the Test – a dazzling century from Mohammad Azharuddin and Kapil Dev’s famous four successive sixes to avert the follow-on. Graham Gooch’s record-breaking run making, however, overshadowed both efforts. It was the high point of Gooch’s annus mirabilis. He thrived against a limp Indian attack, capitalised on being dropped by Kiran More on 36, and batted nearly two whole days to finish on 333, the highest score at Lord’s. In the second innings, Gooch bludgeoned a 113-ball 123 to set up a declaration which gave the bowlers enough time to force a win. The triple-hundred and century combination remains unmatched in first-class cricket, and his tally of 456 remains the most runs scored by a batsman in a Test.Graham Gooch made 333 and 123 in the 1990 Lord’s Test•Getty ImagesRahul Dravid
148, Headingley, 2002
Two of India’s illustrious middle-order batsmen – Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly – made centuries but they were eclipsed by Rahul Dravid’s virtuoso performance. Ganguly had boldly chosen to bat on a traditionally bowler-friendly Headingley track. The ball was swinging and there was plenty of bounce for England’s four-man pace attack of Matthew Hoggard, Andy Caddick, Andrew Flintoff and Alex Tudor. With Sanjay Bangar for company, Dravid weathered everything hurled at him. There was plenty of playing-and-missing, his fingers took a battering, and he said he never felt ‘I am in control here’ at any point. His 148 set the base for the plunder from those to follow, and for India’s biggest overseas victory.Zaheer Khan
4 for 59 and 5 for 75, Trent Bridge, 2007
India arrived in England just months after the calamitous first-round exit from the World Cup and were settling down to life after the tumultuous Greg Chappell era. Zaheer Khan had been off colour for a few years, and had come back leaner and fitter to show he could deliver on his prodigious talent. At Trent Bridge, a combination of swing and control brought him four wickets in the first innings. Then came the incident the match is remembered for – a couple of jelly babies were tossed on the pitch by England’s close-in fielders when Zaheer was batting. An insulted Zaheer brandished his bat at Pietersen at gully, and returned fired up for the second innings. A couple of early wickets was followed by a lull before he swung the match India’s way with the second new ball. It led to India’s first series win in England in 21 years.Virender Sehwag
83, Chennai, 2008
After Andrew Strauss’s twin centuries had kept them on the back foot for much of the Test, India were left chasing 387 in a little under four sessions. An exhilarating assault from Sehwag provided the start India needed; without him the chase would have been inconceivable. Inside the first five overs he had crashed seven fours and a six (upper-cut over third man), to send Kevin Pietersen hurrying through bowling changes. Sehwag went on to make the second-fastest Test half-century by an Indian, and helped his side race to 117 off 23 overs before he was dismissed. A Tendulkar century and a supporting act from Yuvraj Singh were enough to seal an emotional victory in the first Test in India since the terror attacks on Mumbai in November.

In a contest between two of the world’s best batting teams, the potency of the England attack in home conditions could prove to be the difference

Madhusudhan Ramakrishnan19-Jul-2011Top-of-the-table contest
Since their last clash in 2008, both India and England have gone on to become two of the most dominant teams in Tests. India have not lost a single series under MS Dhoni’s captaincy and have won six of their last nine series. After beating Australia at home 2-0 in 2010, India drew their first series in South Africa in 2010-11 by winning the second Test in Durban. England, on the other hand, lost 1-0 to West Indies in a series they controlled for most parts. After grittily holding on for a 1-1 draw in South Africa in 2009-10, England registered emphatic series wins at home against Pakistan and in Australia. The series win in Australia was their first in the country in 24 years, and their superb display was an indication of their much-improved all-round strength.Both teams have been outstanding with the bat in recent years and average over 40 in Tests since 2008. England also boast a good conversion rate of fifties to centuries (0.54) which is better than that of India (0.45), but well short of South Africa’s (0.75) in the same period. India’s top-order batsmen have scored quicker and have been more consistent than their English counterparts, but the absence of the aggressive Virender Sehwag is a huge dent to India’s chances. On the bowling front, England have been the better team. They average 32.08 in Tests since 2008 and their average difference of 8.00 (batting average minus bowling average) is second only to that of South Africa (11.14). India have a fairly high bowling average of nearly 37 which puts them at a slight disadvantage going into a series that could determine the top Test team. However, England, who have to win the series by at least a two-Test margin to become the top-ranked Test side, have not won two Tests in a home series against India since the 3-0 win in 1974.

India hold advantage in recent clashes
England clearly have the upper hand in the 99 Tests played between the two teams so far. India, who have won 19 Tests and lost 34, have been the better side in home Tests but quite ordinary in England. But their display in England in recent times has been encouraging. They came back from behind to level the series 1-1 in 2002, and went on to win the series 1-0 in 2007 after winning the second Test at Trent Bridge. Despite ordinary batting and bowling performances against England overall, India have clearly been the better side in Tests since 2000 winning five and losing two. Their batting average of 39.03 and bowling average of 35.60 gives them an average difference of 3.43.

India’s poor record at Lord’s and Edgbaston

Although India have been successful on recent visits to England, their record at Lord’s, the venue for the first Test, will worry them. Apart from their solitary win in1986, they haven’t had much success, losing ten Tests at the venue. In contrast, England, who struggled to win a Test at Lord’s for much of the 1980s and 1990s, have won 12 and lost just three matches at the venue since 2000. England’s batting average (43.56) and average difference (13.00 ) at Lord’s is by far their best at any home ground during this period. India, who won at Trent Bridge and drew at The Oval in the 2007 series, have a poor record in Edgbaston, where they have lost four out of five Tests.Among grounds that have hosted at least eight Tests since 2000, Lord’s and The Oval have been the best batting venues. A combination of the fickle weather and better batting conditions have meant that the draw percentage at these two venues is the highest among English grounds (34.78 at Lord’s and 27.27 at The Oval). In Tests since 2000, Edgbaston and Trent Bridge have low batting averages of 32.68 and 29.53, and hence a very low draw percentage of just 20.

Top-class batting teams
During a phase in which India and England have enjoyed great success in Tests, the batting line-ups of both teams have been in top form. Sachin Tendulkar, who is on verge of scoring his 100th international century, has been exceptional in the last three years. He has scored 14 centuries and 11 fifties at an average of 65.21 in Tests since January 2008. His conversion rate of fifties to centuries in the same period (1.27) is much higher than his corresponding career mark (0.86). Gautam Gambhir and VVS Laxman have also been among the runs with Laxman, in particular, contributing in vital causes in Mohali and Durban. Laxman has, however, had a fairly ordinary time against England in Tests and averages just 34.35 in 20 innings.Among England’s batsmen, Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott have shown tremendous consistency in the last two years. Cook, who has scored nine centuries in his last 30 innings, was England’s top run getter in their 3-1 Ashes victory. Since his century on debut against Australia in 2009, Trott has had an excellent run. He has scored six centuries at an average of 62.23 and boasts a superb record at Lord’s, where he has scored two centuries and a half-century in his last five innings. Andrew Strauss, who was badly out of form against Sri Lanka, came good in the warm up match against India, and will take confidence from the fact that he scored twin tons in the first Test of the 2008 series against India in Chennai.

Sehwag’s absence crucial

Cook and Strauss, England’s most prolific opening pair, have been involved in 11 century stands in Tests since 2008. In the same period, Cook has also forged highly successful partnerships with Kevin Pietersen and Trott. While the Pietersen-Cook pair has averaged over 75 with seven century partnerships, the Trott-Cook combination has averaged 72.88 and converted five of the six fifty-plus stands into century partnerships.India could sorely miss the services of Sehwag, who formed India’s most successful opening combination with Gambhir. Sehwag’s average against England is just 31, but he was also the one who set up India’s successful chase of 387 against England in Chennai with a quickfire 83 off 68 balls, and has scored at a strike rate of nearly 91 in Tests since January 2008. The pairing of Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, however, is the key in the Indian middle order. They are among the most prolific batting pairs in Test history, and are only 130 runs behind the all-time leading pairing of Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes.

England’s bowling more potent
In a series that pits two of the top batting line-ups in the world against each other, the outcome is more likely to depend on the form of the bowling attacks. James Anderson and Graeme Swann are England’s in-form bowlers and have been highly effective in English conditions. Anderson, who has over 200 wickets at an average of 31, has been even better at Lord’s with 36 wickets in nine Tests at an average just over 28. Anderson has also been successful against top Indian batsmen dismissing Tendulkar on five occasions and Dravid on three. Swann, who made his debut against India in Chennai in 2008, has added a new dimension to England’s attack. While his overall average (27.72) and strike rate (57.5) are impressive enough, his corresponding numbers in England (average 23 and strike rate 47) are quite stunning. Chris Tremlett, who had match figures of 6 for 92 in England’s seven-wicket defeat against India at Trent Bridge in 2007, has picked up 32 wickets in six Tests at an average of 23.37 since his return in 2010, and will be a major threat on pace-friendly tracks.Zaheer Khan, who is returning after injury, could be India’s key bowler in conditions that are likely to aid swing and seam. Zaheer has an excellent record against three of England’s top batsmen, dismissing Strauss and Ian Bell five times each and Cook three times. Harbhajan Singh’s away performance has improved somewhat over the last three years, but a comparison with Swann clearly shows who has been the better bowler during this period: compared with Swann’s strike rate of 57.5, Harbhajan has bowled 71 deliveries per wicket, which indicates he hasn’t been getting his wickets quickly enough.

Level scores, six half-centuries, a hundred with a five-for, and another Tendulkar record – it all happened at the Wankhede

Steven Lynch06-Dec-2011The Mumbai Test was drawn with the scores level. Has this ever happened before? asked Dennis Morgan from Australia

The exciting third Test between India and West Indies in Mumbai was actually the fifth instance of a Test match ending with both sides having scored the same number of runs. The two most famous instances are the two tied Tests – Australia v West Indies in Brisbane in 1960-61, and India v Australia in Madras (now Chennai) in 1986-87 – when the last wicket went down with the batting side one short of victory. In Bulawayo in 1996-97 England finished one short of victory against Zimbabwe, but that wasn’t a tie as England had not lost all their wickets in the second innings. And at Old Trafford in 1998 England’s two totals of 183 and 369 for 9 added up exactly to what South Africa scored in just one innings – 552 for 5. That looks one-sided, and it was – but there was an exciting end to the match as England inched closer to avoiding the innings defeat, which they did with a few minutes left, ensuring there would not be time for South Africa to bat again.The first six West Indies batsmen all scored over 60 in the first innings at Mumbai – is that a first? asked Alastair from Australia

West Indies’ first innings in Mumbai was the seventh in all Tests to contain six scores of 60-plus – but only the second time the top six had all managed it. At Kolkata in 1997-98, VVS Laxman made 95, Navjot Sidhu 97, Rahul Dravid 86, Sachin Tendulkar 79, Mohammad Azharuddin 163 and Sourav Ganguly 65, against Australia (the only other batsman used in India’s total of 633 for 5 declared was Nayan Mongia, who finished with 30 not out). The first instance of six sixties in an innings was at Old Trafford in 1934, when six England players – including Gubby Allen at No. 9 and Hedley Verity at 10 – managed it. The most recent case before Mumbai was in Bridgetown in 2003, when six of Australia’s top seven passed 60 – but opener Matthew Hayden missed out with 27.Ravichandran Ashwin apparently became only the third Indian player to score a hundred and take a five-for in the same Test at Mumbai – who are the others? And who is the only player to score a double-century and take a five-for in the same Test? asked Richard Webb from England

The other Indian players to echo Ashwin’s feat in Mumbai were Vinoo Mankad and Polly Umrigar. Mankad had an astonishing match against England at Lord’s in 1952: in between innings of 72 and 184 he bowled 73 overs and took 5 for 196. In England’s second innings he bowled 24 more overs, finishing with 0 for 35. Umrigar achieved a similar tour de force against West Indies in Port-of-Spain in 1961-62, in a match India ended up losing: after taking 5 for 107 in West Indies’ first innings of 444 he top-scored with 56 then, in the follow-on, made 172 not out. Finally Umrigar bowled 16 overs for 17 runs as West Indies made heavy weather of chasing down the 176 they needed for victory (it took them 101 overs). For the full list of people who have done this, click here. Two men (not one) have managed a double-century and a five-for in the same Test: Denis Atkinson, for West Indies against Australia in Bridgetown in 1955, and Mushtaq Mohammad, for Pakistan against New Zealand in Dunedin in 1972-73.Ashwin acheived the double of a hundred and a five-wicket haul in his third Test match. Has anyone done this in their first Test? asked Aby Siby Kalappurayil from India

The only man to have achieved this double on Test debut was Bruce Taylor, for New Zealand v India in Calcutta (now Kolkata) in 1964-65. Taylor came in at No. 8 and hit 105 – his maiden century in first-class cricket – and later took 5 for 86. Jack Gregory, the Australian allrounder, achieved the feat in his second Test, against England in Melbourne in 1920-21.Ashwin conceded 150 runs and scored a century at Mumbai. How often has this happened in Tests? asked Nandan Lokare from India

Ashwin (5 for 156 and 103) was the fifth player to achieve this particular all-round double in a Test. Another Indian, Vinoo Mankad, did it in the match at Lord’s in 1952 referred to above. The first to do it was the tireless Australian, George Giffen, who scored 161 and later took 4 for
164 against England in Sydney in 1894-95 (three years previously Giffen had scored 271 and took 16 wickets for South Australia against Victoria in
Adelaide, so this might have felt like a light workout!). Tony Greig followed an innings of 148 with 6 for 164 for England against West Indies in Bridgetown in 1973-74, while in Sheikhupura in 1996-97 (in the match in which Wasim Akram clouted 257 not out from No. 8 for Pakistan) Zimbabwe’s Paul Strang followed 106 not out with 5 for 212 from 69 overs.Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed in the nineties for the tenth time in a Test at Mumbai. Is that a record? asked Mauro Freitas from the United Arab Emirates

Yes, Sachin Tendulkar is indeed the first batsman to be dismissed 10 times in the nineties in Tests, to go with 17 dismissals in the nineties in one-day internationals. Rahul Dravid and Steve Waugh have also made 10 scores in the nineties, but one of Dravid’s and two of Waugh’s were not out. Michael Slater of Australia was also out nine times in the nineties in only 74 Tests, less than half the matches played by the other three.