By IANS
Melbourne : Sachin Tendulkar made history Sunday by becoming the first batsman to appear in 400 innings in One-Day Internationals (ODI) when he played against Australia in a match of the Commonwealth Bank Triangular Series here.
When on six, he became the first Indian to aggregate 1,000 runs in Australia. After his 44-run-knock in India’s five-wicket win, he has a tally of 1,038 runs, scored at an average of 34.60 in 33 ODIs, including eight half-centuries.
During the course of his 54-ball innings, Tendulkar become the first ever batsman to amass 2,500 runs against one specific opponent, Australia, in ODIs. He achieved that feat when he reached 29. At the end of his knock, his aggregate reached 2,515 (average 44.91) in 56 matches against Australia.
The win over Sunday helped India establish a record for appearing in most number of ODIs, eclipsing Pakistan’s tally of 674.
India registered their eighth win in 16 ODIs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). They have lost eight matches.
India’s win Sunday is their first win at MCG after 16 years. Their last win at this venue was against West Indies, who they beat by five wickets Jan 16, 1992.
India have won five matches and lost six out of 11 played against Australia at the MCG. India, after losing their last five encounters against Australia at this venue, have recorded a win against the home team after 22 years. Their last win, by six wickets, was recorded Jan 31, 1986.
Australia’s total of 159 off 43.1 overs Sunday is their second lowest score against India at the MCG. The lowest at this venue is 142 off 42.1 overs. Australia’s 159 is the lowest by any side batting first in 20 ODIs at the MCG.
Michael Hussey registered his first half-century against India, and his 11th overall. His 65 not out off 88 balls is his highest at the MCG, eclipsing his 17 against England registered last year.
Hussey has aggregated 1,910 runs at an average of 57.87 in 78 matches, including two centuries and 11 half-centuries at a strike rate of 89.33. His average is the best by any batsman in ODIs (minimum 20 innings). Michael Bevan is the next best with 53.58, followed by Kevin Pietersen (48.87).
Adam Gilchrist registered his 19th duck – and his second against India. He has extended his Australian record for most ducks. Of his 19 ducks, Gilchrist has registered 8 at home, 7 away from home and 4 at neutral venues.
Ishant Sharma (4/38) produced his career-best bowling performance, bettering his one for seven against Australia at Brisbane seven days ago.
Ricky Ponting, in three successive innings against India at home, recorded single-digit scores – 4 at Sydney on Feb 8; 0 at Brisbane on Feb 3 and 9 at Melbourne Sunday.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, with five dismissals (4 catches, 1 stumping) has equalled the Indian wicket-keeping feat in Australia, held by Sadanand Viswanath (3 catches, 2 stumpings) against England during the World Championship of Cricket Feb 26, 1985.
Dhoni, with this feat, became the first Indian wicketkeeper to effect five dismissals in an innings against Australia, eclipsing the record of Nayan Mongia, Chandrakant Pandit and Kiran More. All effected four dismissals each.
Dhoni has effected five dismissals in an innings against three opponents. His previous two instances being: five against Bangladesh at Dhaka in 2004 and six against England at Leeds last year.
He, thus, equalled Mongia’s feat of five dismissals in an innings against three opponents – once each against Zimbabwe, Pakistan and New Zealand. Interestingly, all 10 instances of five dismissals in an innings by Indian wicketkeepers have been recorded away from home.
Harbhajan Singh claimed his first ODI wicket in Australia, his victim being Brad Haddin. The off-spinner bowled quite economically, with a strike rate of 2.37 -8-2-19-1. His figures are the most economical by an Indian spinner at the MCG, eclipsing Ravi Shastri’s 9-1-23-1 (strike rate 2.56) in 1986.
Irfan Pathan (2/26) produced his best bowling figures at the MCG. In his previous two games against Australia at this venue, he had gone wicketless.
Hussey and Brett Lee put on 53 runs for the seventh wicket, which is Australia’s best against India at the MCG, eclipsing the 25 between Andrew Symonds and Ian Harvey in 2003-04.
Tendulkar, with two catches in Australian innings, has taken his tally to 122, eclipsing the tallies of Brian Lara (120), Carl Hooper (120) and Rahul Dravid (121) and moving into the sixth place in the all-time best catchers’ list.
Dhoni and Rohit Sharma put on an unbroken 58-run stand for the sixth wicket — India’s best against Australia at the MCG, eclipsing the 43 between Dilip Vengsarkar and Ravi Shastri in 1985-86.
Brett Lee, by taking Gautam Gambhir’s wicket, equalled Steve Waugh’s Australian record of 43 wickets against India. Both now share the record for most wickets for Australia against India. Only Kapil Dev, with 45 wickets, has claimed more wickets than Lee in India-Australia ODIs.