Alastair Cook’s declaration ensured that only two results were possible on the final day of the first Test between India and England at Rajkot and in the end, despite a slight chance of victory, both teams had to share the spoils and go into the second Test with the series still at 0-0.
Cook brought up his 30th Test century on the fifth day and with the lead just over 300 set India a chase which would have been about par in ODIs but on a day five pitch that was beginning to take turn, there was only ever going to be two results.
It was either an England victory courtesy of a huge collapse or a draw that was on the cards. In the end, it was a draw as Virat Kohli saw India through till the close of play despite a slight stumble as the hosts finished on 172/6, chasing 310.
Also Read: Who Said What: World reacts as India draw with England at Rajkot
Here are some interesting numbers from the first Test between India and England:
1 – Only one player, Joe Root, has scored more international runs in 2016 than Virat Kohli. Joe Root has 2,207 runs at an average of 51.32 while Virat Kohli has 2,029 runs at an average of 81.16.
2 – This is only the second 150+ opening stand by a visiting team in India in the last 12 years. The previous was also between Cook and Compton at Kolkata in 2012. The partnership of 180 between Alastair Cook and Haseeb Hameed is England’s best opening partnership in India beating the the previous best of 178 held by Graeme Fowler & Tim Robinson in Chennai in 198.
3 – Three different English players (Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Alastair Cook) have all scored more than 1,000 runs in Tests in 2016.
4 – Four different English players (Alastair Cook, Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali) all scored centuries in the first Test.
5 – Virat Kohli’s streak of five consecutive home Test wins (2 against SA, 3 against NZ) has come to an end.
5 – This was Cook’s fifth century in India, which is the most by any visiting batsman. Everton Weekes, Clive Lloyd and Hashim Amla all had four centuries.
8 – No English player has more fifty-plus scores in Tests in India than Alastair Cook, who has 8 to his name.
9 – No overseas player has more centuries in Asia than Alastair Cook, who has 9. He has overtaken Jacques Kallis, who previously held the record with 8.
11 – Graham Gooch’s record of 11 centuries as England captain was overtaken by Cook, who now has 12 centuries as Test captain.
12 – Cook has 12 centuries in the third innings of a Test, which is the joint-most along with Kumar Sangakkara.
12 – This was the first draw in India after 12 consecutive completed Tests. (Not including the Test at Bangalore against South Africa).
74 – The record for the highest score by an English teenager in Tests was previously held by Jack Crawford, who scored 74 against South Africa in Cape Town in 1906. Haseeb Hameed’s 82 means he now holds this record.
180 – The 180-run opening partnership between Cook and Hameed is the second highest opening partnership in the second innings of a Test in India. The best belong to Sehwag and Gambhir who added 182 against Australia at Mohali in 2008.
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