A world record for Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina today became the 265th player to represent India in a Test match. More importantly he did so having appeared in 98 ODIs. This is now a new record of maximum ODIs a player has appeared in before making his Test debut. Australia’s Andrew Symonds held the previous record, who had appeared in 94 ODIs before he made his Test debut in 2004. Interestingly the previous Indian record was on name of Yuvraj Singh, who could not play in this Test and hence Raina got a chance to make his Test debut!

Most ODIs before making Test debut

98 Suresh Raina (Ind)

94 Andrew Symonds (Aus)

76 Adam Gilchrist (Aus)

73 Yuvraj Singh (Ind)

66 Shahid Afridi (Pak)

60 Robin Singh (Ind)

WHEN INDIA WERE FORCED TO FOLLOW-ON

India were asked to follow on for the 32nd time in their Test history after hosts Sri Lanka skittled them out for 276 runs in the first innings of the Galle Test.

Of the previous 31 instances, India have been made to follow on 14 times on Indian soil, while 17 have come during away Tests. Here's a quick glance of what the numbers indicate and whether India will be able to save this Test.

- India have won one, lost 22 and drawn 8 of the previous 31 occasions. Of the 17 such instances on foreign soil, India have lost as many as 15. Of the 14 such instances on Indian soil, India have won one, lost 7 and drawn 6.

- England have enforced the follow-on on India on most occasions – 10, followed by West Indies (7), Australia (5), New Zealand (5), Pakistan (2), Sri Lanka (2) and South Africa (1).

- The other occasion when Sri Lanka enforced follow-on over India was in 2008 at Colombo (SSC). Sri Lanka declared their first innings at 600-6 and then bundled India out for 223 & 138.

- Lala Amarnath and Tiger Pataudi share the record of suffering this ignominy on most occasions- six apiece, followed by Sunil Gavaskar (3) and MS Dhoni (2).

- CK Nayudu, Maharaja of Vizianagram, Vijay Hazare, Ghulam Ahmed, Dattu Gaekwad, GS Ramchand, Ajit Wadekar, Bishan Singh Bedi ,S Venkataraghavan, Kapil Dev, Mohammad Azharuddin, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and Virender Sehwag have suffered this fate once each. Ganguly is the only one to win a Test after being forced to follow-on.

- The first instance for Dhoni to suffer this ignominy was against Graeme Smith's South Africans at Nagpur in February this year.

OPENING DAY BLUES FOR INDIA

Just one day into the Galle Test and Indians are already on the backfoot, thanks to lacklustre performance of the bowlers. With 256 runs on the board and only two wickets down, only one team can dictate terms from here onwards. History tells us that India have never won a Test in which opposition has raised 200+ runs on the opening day losing 2 or fewer wickets. So Indians have their task cut out.

Last 5 instances of opponents scoring 200+ runs on the opening day
(losing 2 or fewer wickets)

Runs-W Opponent,Venue,Year        Result
256-2 Sri Lanka,Galle,2010        To be seen
291-2 South Africa,Nagpur,2010    SA- inns & 6 runs
207-1 West Indies,Basseterre,2006 Drawn
326-2 Pakistan,Lahore,2006        Drawn
323-2 Pakistan,Bangalore,2005     Pak- 168 runs

A RECORD 13TH WIN FOR AUSTRALIA

Chasing a victory target of 440 runs against Australia in the Lord’s Test, Pakistan got off to a good start. They were 152 for one at one stage and looked set to give Australia a run for their money. However, the introduction of part-timer Marcus North into the attack proved a master-stroke that turned the game on its head. North took a career best 6 for 55 and Australia won the game by 150 runs.

This was Australia’s 13^th win at a trot against Pakistan in a Test match. The sequence started with the Brisbane Test in November 1999 in which Australia romped home by 10 wickets. This sequence of 13 wins for Australia (or 13 losses for Pakistan) is a new record in bilateral contests. The previous record was of 12 consecutive wins for Sri Lanka against Bangladesh.

Here are the details of most consecutive wins in bilateral matches:

  
  
   
   
Tests
   
   
   
Winner
   
   
   
Loser
   
   
   
Period
   
  
  
   
   
13*
   
   
   
Australia
   
   
   
Pakistan
   
   
   
1999-2010
   
  
  
   
   
12*
   
   
   
Sri Lanka
   
   
   
Bangladesh
   
   
   
2001-2009
   
  
  
   
   
10
   
   
   
West Indies
   
   
   
England
   
   
   
1984-1986
   
  
  
   
   
9
   
   
   
Australia
   
   
   
West Indies
   
   
   
1999-2003
   
  
  
   
   
8
   
   
   
England
   
   
   
South Africa
   
   
   
1889-1899
   
  
  
   
   
8
   
   
   
Australia
   
   
   
England
   
   
   
1920-1921
   
  
  
   
   
8*
   
   
   
South Africa
   
   
   
Bangladesh
   
   
   
2002-2008
   
  
  
   
   
8*
   
   
   
England
   
   
   
Bangladesh
   
   
   
2003-2010
   
  
 
  
 

* unbroken sequence