Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid placed on a record-breaking opening partnership towards Pakistan on at the present time fifteen years in the past, which received them a standing ovation from the Lahore crowd — till a slash of the bat from Sehwag had left the duo 3 runs wanting breaking the world file for the best opening stand.
Dravid, opening the innings within the 1st Test of the sequence — a call he stated he took on the night time earlier than the match — placed on 128 off 233 balls and Sehwag scored 254 off 247 balls as they placed on 410 runs for the primary wicket.
Only fourteen deliveries might be bowled on the ultimate day of the Test — a match typically interrupted by inclement climate and poor mild however lit up by a number of the most attacking strokes ever seen in Test cricket. The match was already headed for a draw. But on the road was Sehwag’s 250 after which the world file 413-run opening stand set by Vinoo Mankad and Pankaj Roy towards New Zealand in 1956.
Sehwag slashed his well beyond 250 however then edged a supply to the wicketkeeper within the little play attainable on the ultimate day. Dravid stayed unbeaten, VVS Laxman got here out to play one ball earlier than the match was drawn.
Sehwag stated later he didn’t know there had been a world file on the road. “The world record really doesn’t matter,” Sehwag advised ESPNCricinfo later. “I didn’t know we were close to the record until I came back to the dressing-room.”
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As for Dravid, who had the most effective seat in the home for among the best Test innings ever performed, stated: “I enjoyed the partnership, but we’ll have to see on what happens in 3-4 days’ time to see who opens. I don’t think it’s a long-term solution. We have to try and see to pick a side to win a game.”
Asked to talk on Sehwag’s alternative of shot to get out with simply three runs to get to interrupt a 50-year-old file, Dravid stated: “Veeru plays that way – attacking and positive. He played a similar shot to get from 199 to 200. Lot of times, when people get out, it looks like why did they play that shot .. but when he’s on song there is some exceptional batting.”
Virender Sehwag is out for 254, leaving him and Rahul three runs wanting breaking the file for the best opening partnership (File Photo/AFP)
Plenty of data had been smashed in the middle of Sehwag’s blitzkrieg although. His 254 off 247 balls was the best ever Test rating at over a run-a-ball.
His 200 in 182 balls was the second-fastest double century within the historical past of the sport, after Nathan Astle, whose effort towards England in 2001-02 got here in 153 balls.
Sehwag had gone from 183 to 199 in 4 deliveries. When his 200 got here, with yet one more slash to 3rd man, the Gaddafi Stadium was on its toes.
At 370 for none, the duo went previous Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs’s 368-run stand which was until then the best opening wicket partnership towards Pakistan.
They lastly ended at 410/1, which was then the tenth highest partnership for any wicket in Test cricket.
