IND vs SL 2022: Rohit Sharma declaring before Ravindra Jadeja’s 200 in India-Sri Lanka Mohali Test forced enraged Twitter fans to draw comparisons with Rahul Dravid
By declaring India’s first innings against Sri Lanka at 574/8, with Ravindra Jadeja returning unbeaten on 175, did skipper Rohit Sharma pull off a Rahul Dravid 18 years later?
Star India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was batting on 175 in the first innings of the Mohali Test against Sri Lanka when skipper Rohit Sharma decided to declare the innings at 574/8 in 129.2 overs. The left-hander was on course for his maiden double hundred but it wasn’t to be and he had to settle with 175 being his new highest Test score. While the decision was taken keeping the match situation in mind, fans on Twitter were left extremely infuriated, with most of them likening Rohit to head coach Rahul Dravid.
In 2004 at Multan, during a Test match between India and Pakistan, the then-skipper Dravid left an entire nation in utter disbelief when he decided to declare the visitors’ first innings at 675 for 5. The reason? Batting great Sachin Tendulkar was left stranded and unbeaten on 194.
When Rohit, on Saturday, pulled off a similar feat with Jadeja at the receiving end, miffed fans on the micro-blogging site made sure they didn’t leave a chance of taking a dig.
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Even though Jadeja couldn’t get to a new milestone, the hosts have done enough to put the Lankans under pressure. En route to 574/8, the first innings saw six 50+-run partnerships. Batting at no.3 Hanuma Vihari scored an impressive 58.
Then, and just as Sri Lanka looked to bounce back, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant went out with all guns blazing, smashing 96 off 97 balls. Moreover, R Ashwin scored a handy 61 to help Jadeja take India to a massive total.
In response, the Lankas currently find themselves at 48/1 in the 19th over. They lost Lahiru Thirimanne’s wicket to R Ashwin, who cleaned up the opener on 17.
IND vs SL 2022: Ravindra Jadeja breaks Kapil Dev’s 36-year-old record for historic Indian feat after century in 1st Test
IND vs SL 2022: Ravindra Jadeja broke Kapil Dev’s record as he slammed an unbeaten 175 in the first innings of the Mohali Test.
India’s Ravindra Jadeja scored his second century in a magnificent knock against Sri Lanka during Day 2 of the first Test in Mohali. Jadeja stayed unbeaten on 175 as Rohit Sharma declared India‘s innings on 574/8. Jadeja had remained unbeaten on 45 at the end of Day 1 and forged an important 130-run stand with Ravichandran Ashwin (61) and another century stand (101 runs) against Mohammed Shami (20*).
As Jadeja’s returned to the dressing room after the declaration of the innings, he etched himself in the record books as India’s highest run-scorer in a Test innings while batting at number 7-11. Jadeja broke Kapil Dev’s record (163) for the feat.
Incidentally, Kapil Dev also recorded the feat against Sri Lanka in Kanpur in 1986. India’s wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is third in the list with an unbeaten 159 against Australia in 2019.
In the overall list, Australia’s legendary batter Donald Bradman holds the record for most runs in an innings at no.7-11, with a double-century (270) against England in Melbourne in 1937. Pakistan’s Wasim Akram stands second in the list with 257* against Zimbabwe in 1996.
Jadeja also became the first player batting at seven or below to be involved in three partnerships of more than 100 runs(IND vs SL 2022:). Jadeja forged century partnerships with Rishabh Pant, Ashwin, and Shami.
He joined an elite list of Indian players to have achieved the feat (at all batting positions), that include Vinod Kambli (against Zimbabwe, 1993), Rahul Dravid (against Pakistan, 2004), Virender Sehwag (against Pakistan, 2005) and Karun Nair (Against England, 2016).
Earlier, India had won the toss and opted to bat in the Mohali Test which is significant for a couple of reasons; the Test saw former India captain Virat Kohli making his 100th appearance in the longest format, and also sees Rohit Sharma becoming the 35th skipper of the country in Tests.
