Mohali, Dec 20 (IANS) Rahul Dravid (126) with his 314-run second wicket stand with Gautam Gambhir (179) in the second cricket Test against England, became the first Indian batsman to be involved in four 300-plus partnerships.
Gambhir and Dravid’s partnership was also India’s second best stand against England for any wicket in Tests, next to the 316 between Gundappa Viswanath and Yashpal Sharma for the third wicket at Chepauk in 1981-82.
Other highlights of the second day’s play:
* India (453) posted their second best score against England at Mohali – their highest is 469 in 2001-02.
* Gambhir’s 179 is his second highest score in Tests – his best is 206 against Australia at Delhi in October this year.
* For the first time in his Test career, Gambhir has made 1,000 runs in a calendar year – 1,037 at an average of 69.13 in eight Tests in 2008. With 1,119 runs (ave.46.62) in 27 Limited-Overs Internationals this year, Gambhir is now the third Indian batsman after Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly to have scored 1,000 runs in Tests as well as ODIs in the same year.
* Gambhir’s innings of 179 is now the highest individual innings at Mohali.
* Dravid’s fourth century against England is his 26th Test hundred.
* Sehwag, Ganguly, Gambhir and Dravid, with two centuries each at Mohali, now share the record for most hundreds at this venue.
* The 314-run stand is now the best ever for any wicket at Mohali, eclipsing the 231 for the first wicket between Mark Richardson and Lou Vincent for New Zealand against India in 2003-04.