AUS vs IND, 2020-21: 2nd Test, Day 2 – Rahane’s record hundred, Paine’s world record in dismissals and more stats

India earned a handy first-innings lead of 82 runs thanks to a collective batting effort led by the stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane’s unbeaten 104. Pat Cummins got the better of Shubman Gill (45) and Cheteshwar Pujara (17) in successive overs to leave India struggling at 63/3. But Rahane found the support of Hanuma Vihari (21) and Rishabh Pant (29) as 50+ stands with them helped India to narrow the deficit. Later, it was the pair of Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja (40*) who put on 104* for the 6th wicket before the stumps.

Here are all the statistical highlights from the 2nd day’s play which was dominated by India:

A record hundred by Rahane:

1 – Ajinkya Rahane became the first visiting player to score multiple centuries in Boxing Day Tests at the MCG. Rahane struck a 147-run knock during the 2014 Boxing Day Test at this venue.

2 – Ajinkya is also the 2nd player from India to smash multiple centuries in Test cricket at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Vinoo Mankad was the first Indian to do so having struck two tons at MCG during the 1947-48 tour.

1999 – Rahane became only the 2nd Indian captain to score a century in Test cricket at the Melbourne cricket ground. Sachin Tendulkar was the first having scored 116 during the 1999 Boxing Day Test. Ajinkya is also the first visiting skipper to score a hundred at the MCG since Pakistan’s Mohammad Yousuf in 2004 who scored 111.

Cummins @ 300 wickets:

300 – The wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara was the 300th wicket in International cricket for Pat Cummins. The speedster is now the 10th Australian to bag 300 International wickets and the 6th fastest in terms of innings taken (159 innings).

Starc @ 250 wickets:

250 – Mitchell Starc completed 250 wickets in Test cricket when he dismissed Rishabh Pant which makes him the 9th Australian to reach the milestone. Starc got to 250 Test wickets in 59 matches making him the 5th fastest Australian to get there.

Paine breaks De Kock’s record:

33 – Tim Paine completed 150 dismissals in Test cricket when he completed the catch of Rishabh Pant. He is now the fastest to 150 Test dismissals as a wicketkeeper taking 33 Tests and broke the record held by South Africa’s Quinton de Kock (34). Paine is also the fastest in terms of innings (63) by surpassing De Kock (64).

Partnerships rescue India:

104* – The unbeaten 104-run partnership between Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja is the century stand for India for the 6th or lower wicket in Test matches at MCG. It is also the first-century stand for India in Australia for the 6th wicket since the 114-run partnership between Kohli and Saha in the 2012 Adelaide Test.

3 – Only the 3rd time India had as many as four 50+ partnerships in a Test innings at the MCG. The Test matches in 1985 and 2018 are the other two instances of India having 50+ stands in a Test innings at MCG.

2016 – The last instance of an Indian innings with 50+ stands for 4th, 5th and 6th wickets in Test cricket was during the 2016 Chennai Test against England where India blasted their highest Test total ever.