By IANS
Brisbane : In-form Gautam Gambhir, batting at No. 3, smashed his third century in One-Day Internationals (ODI) to help set up a competitive total for India against Sri Lanka in the Commonwealth Bank Triangular One-day Series.
Gambhir scored an unbeaten 102 not out off 101 balls in the rain-marred match to register his second century against Sri Lanka. This is his first hundred while batting at No. 3 as his two previous hundreds were recorded while opening the innings.
The left-hander’s score is his second best in ODIs, next only to his career-best 103 off 97 balls at Ahmedabad in November 2005. His other century, 101 off 113 balls, came against Bangladesh in Dhaka May 12, 2007.
As an opener, Gambhir has aggregated 715 runs at an average of 31.09, including two centuries and three fifties. While batting at one down position, he has amassed 468 runs at an average of 42.54, including one century and three fifties. Apart from these two positions, he had batted once at No. 6, scoring a solitary run.
In matches that India have won, Gambhir has aggregated 814 runs at an average of 38.76, including one century and five half-centuries in 23 matches and in those that India have lost he has made 214 at an average of 17.83 in 12 games, including one century and one half-century.
The Delhi batsman, who recently guided the team to the Ranji Trophy title, made his ODI debut against Bangladesh in the TVS Cup at Dhaka April 11, 2003. But he was dropped after only five matches and missed 59 games between April 22, 2003, and Nov 5, 2005.
On his comeback, he made 103 against Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad Nov 6, 2005.
Gambhir again missed 23 ODIs, between April 1, 2006, and Jan 20, 2007. On his comeback, he made 69 against West Indies at Nagpur Jan 21, 2007. Between Jan 28, 2007, and May 9, 2007, he missed eight games and on his comeback posted 21 and 101 against Bangladesh in Mirpur, Dhaka, May 10 and 12, 2007, and 80 not out against Ireland at Belfast June 23, 2007.
Gambhir and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni put on an unbroken 184-run partnership for the fifth wicket. It was India’s highest for this wicket in Australia, eclipsing the 110 between V.V.S. Laxman and Rohan Gavaskar against Zimbabwe at Adelaide Jan 24, 2004.
The Gambhir-Dhoni stand is India’s second best for the fifth wicket, next only to the 223 between Mohammad Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja against Sri Lanka at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, in 1997-98.
Dhoni’s 88 not out off 95 balls Tuesday is his 18th half-century and his second best score away from home. His best his 91 not out against Bangladesh at Mirpur May 10, 2007.
Dhoni’s innings is the highest score by an Indian wicketkeeper in Australia, eclipsing Rahul Dravid’s 74 against Australia at Brisbane Jan 18, 2004.
Gambhir became only the fourth Indian batsman, after Sourav Ganguly (2), V.V.S. Laxman (3) and Yuvraj Singh, to hit a ton in Australia.
Indian centurions in Australia:
141 144 Sourav Ganguly Pakistan Adelaide 25.1.2000
139 122 Yuvraj Singh Australia Sydney 22.1.2004
131 138 VVS Laxman Zimbabwe Adelaide 24.1.2004
106* 130 VVS Laxman Australia Sydney 22.1.2004
103* 113 VVS Laxman Australia Brisbane 18.1.2004
102* 101 Gautam Gambhir Sri Lanka Brisbane 5.2.2008
100 127 S.C.Ganguly Australia Melbourne 12.1.2000