Day 2 Stats: Mayank-Rohit Break Big Records, Put India in Control

Mayank Agarwal and Rohit Sharma broke a host of records on Day 2 of the Vizag Test against South Africa.

After scoring his first century in only his fifth test, Mayank Agarwal made it a double.

The India opening batsman eventually got out for 215 during the second session on the second day of the first test when South African bowlers got back into the match, albeit a bit late. They claimed four wickets to leave lndia 450 for five wickets at tea even as the hosts eventually declared at 502/7.

Ashwin and Jadeja picked three South African wickets before stumps to leave the Proteas at 39/3, trailing India by a 463 runs.

Here’s a look at some of the big records broken by the Indian openers on Day 2 of the Vizag Test.

The Solid Opening Stand

• Mayank Agarwal & Rohit Sharma were involved in an opening stand of 317 runs which is India's highest partnership for any wicket against S.Africa in Tests, eclipsing the 268 for the second wicket by Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid at Chennai in March 2008.
• The aforesaid partnership is India's third-highest for the opening wicket behind the 413 between Vinoo Mankad & Pankaj Roy vs N.Zealand at Chennai in 1955-56 and 410 between Rahul Dravid & Virender Sehwag vs Pakistan at Lahore in 2005-06.
• Mayank and Rohit’s opening stand is the second triple century stand for the first wicket against South Africa in Tests - the first and the highest being 359 between Len Hutton & Cyril Washbrook against England at Johannesburg in 1948-49.
• Mayank Agarwal (215) and Rohit Sharma (176) have provided the fourth instance when both the Indian opening batsmen have recorded 150-plus in the same Test innings- the first three instances being Vinoo Mankad (231) and Pankaj Roy (173) vs New Zealand at Chennai in 1955-56; Murali Vijay (153) and Shikhar Dhawan (187) vs Australia at Mohali in 2012-13 and Vijay (150) and Dhawan (173) vs Bangladesh at Fatullah in 2015
• Agarwal and Rohit have amassed 391 runs together - the third highest by Indian openers in a Test innings behind the 404 vs New Zealand at Chennai in January1956 and 392 vs vs South Africa at Chennai in March 2008.
• Twelve sixes have been recorded by Indian opening batsmen - Mayank Agarwal (6) and Rohit (6).  For the first time in a Test innings, openers have registered as many sixes in a Test innings. The previous record was eleven, accomplished twice. Matthew Hayden (11) and Justin Langer (0) for Australia vs Zimbabwe at Perth in 2003-04 and Brendon McCullum (11) and Tom Latham (0) for New Zealand vs Pakistan at Sharjah in 2014-15.
• The thirteen sixes hit by India in the innings are the second-highest for India behind the 15 vs Sri Lanka at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai in December 2009.

Personal Milestones

• Rohit Sharma (176) has registered his second highest score in Tests next only to the 177 vs West Indies at Kolkata in November 2013.
• Mayank Agarwal (215) is the fourth Indian player to post his first hundred as double century in Tests - the first three being Dilip Sardesai (200 not out vs New Zealand at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai in 1964-65); Vinod Kambli (224 vs England at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai in 1993) and Karun Nair (303 not out vs England at Chepauk, Chennai in 2016-17.

South African Feats

• Senuran Muthusamy became the third bowler after Kagiso Rabada and Alzarri Joseph to take Virat Kohli's wicket as his maiden wicket in Tests.
• Keshav Maharaj conceded 189 runs while capturing three wickets in 55 overs - the third most tally of runs conceded by a South African bowler in a Test innings next only to the 221 in 65 overs by Nicky Boje against Sri Lanka at Colombo (SSC) in  2006 and 203 by Paul Harris against India at Chennai in 2008.