In Stats: Rahane Joins Gavaskar’s Club, India Post Landmark Total

All the big statistical highlights from Day 3 of the Jamaica Test between India and West Indies.

The final session was wiped out by rain after India declared at 500/9 on day three of the second Test against the West Indies.

• West Indies: 196
  
• India: 500/9 in 171.1 overs (Rahane 108 not out, Rahul 158; Chase 5/121)
  

India took control of the second Test match of the ongoing tour of the West Indies after they first bowled out the hosts cheaply and then posted their highest total in Test matches in Jamaica.

On the third day, India began from their overnight score of 358-5 and stretched it to 500-9 before captain Virat Kohli declared the innings closed.

India batted for 171.1 overs before deciding they had batted long enough and had enough runs on the board. It was only the second time since 1974 that a visiting team had batted for more than 150 overs in a Test match at the Sabina Park. Between 1974, when England batted for 183 overs and the ongoing Test, the only other occasion a team had batted for over 150 overs was when New Zealand batted for 174.3 overs in 2014.

While KL Rahul walked away with honours on Day II for a well-compiled 158, Ajinkya Rahane took the honours for Day III after getting to his seventh Test century. Rahane’s unbeaten 108 was first Test hundred against the West Indies and his third ton in his last four Test innings. Interestingly, five of Rahane’s seven centuries have been while playing overseas.

The one stat that has almost gone under the radar is the rate at which Ajinkya Rahane has accumulated his hundreds. It is interesting to note that among Indian batsmen, only Sunil Gavaskar had scored more hundreds than Ajinkya Rahane’s tally after 24 Test matches; while Gavaskar had scored 8 Test centuries in his first 24 Test matches, Rahane is just one behind with 7 Test tons.

For the hosts, the off-spinner Roston Chase walked away with a maiden 5-wicket haul. The 24-year old, playing in only his second Test match, returned with figures of 5-121, in the process becoming the first West Indian spinner since Nehemiah Perry in 1999, to take five wickets in an innings at the Sabina Park.

* There are no record to indicate if Garfield Sobers bowled medium pace or spin in that particular Test match in 1962.