Top 5 Test centuries by Virender Sehwag outside the subcontinent

During his 13-year Test career, Virender Sehwag has scored a total of 23 hundreds.The Nawab of Najafgarh has entertained people from across the globe and though he may not be a regular fixture in the Indian setup anymore, his wonderful efforts with the bat are still remembered by one and all in India and around the world.Here’s a list of Viru’s top 5 hundreds outside the subcontinent in Test matches:

#5 Adelaide, 2008

This innings at Adelaide proved to be a significant one in Virender Sehwag’s Test career. He was on a comeback trail into the Indian Test team and desperately needed to score to remain a part of the team in the longer format.

After both teams had scored over 500 runs in each of their first innings, there was very little possibility of an outright result for either sides in this Test match. India, however, did have to bat in the second innings to avoid any late hiccups. Sehwag followed his 63 in the first innings with a fine 151 in the second innings.

It was a slightly uncharacteristic innings from considering he got those runs in 354 balls. However, India kept losing wickets at regular intervals and in that context, this proved to be very crucial innings in the end as it helped his side draw the Test match.

This also was great Australian wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist’s last Test match for his country.

#4 St. Lucia, 2006

This innings is remembered for Viru being stranded on 99 as India went into lunch at 140 for no loss on the opening day in the 2nd Test of the 4 match series against the West Indies at the Beausejour stadium in St. Lucia in 2006.

The Delhi dasher scored 180 runs off 287 balls and helped India go at 4 runs an over, till the time he was at the crease. Rahul Dravid and Mohammad Kaif also scored hundreds as the visitors put a huge total on the board in their first innings. However, on a slow pitch with just one specialist spinner and three young quick bowlers, it proved difficult for India to bowl the West Indies out twice and as a result, the Test match ended in a draw and Sehwag was rightfully adjudged the Player of the Match.

#3 Nottingham, 2002

Having lost the first Test match at Lord’s, India came into the second test at Trent Bridge in 2002, desperately wanting to turn the tables on the hosts. They required someone to play a morale-boosting innings and Sehwag did just that.

His 106 ensured that India reached a decent 357 all out in their first innings. Michael Vaughan then scored a majestic 197 as England put on 617 in their first innings. India had to bat more than a day in their second innings to save the game and they did just that with Dravid, Tendulkar and Ganguly making significant contributions.

The Test match ended in a draw, but Sehwag’s ton in the first innings paved the way for India to comeback in the series. On a personal level, this was Sehwag’s first century as an opener and it would go on to be the first of many hundreds while opening the batting for India.

#2 Melbourne, 2003

Possibly his best innings among the a lot, Sehwag smashed the Australian bowling to all corners of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in the boxing day Test match of 2003. He scored 195 brilliant runs in India’s total of 366 in the first innings.

However, despite all the shots hit by him during the course of this innings, the knock is best remembered for the way in which the Delhi dasher got himself out by hitting a full toss off part-time bowler Simon Katich into the deep only to be caught excellently by Nathan Bracken, late on the first day. Ricky Ponting however outshone the Indian opener as he went to score a double-hundred of his own.

India went on to lose the test match, but Sehwag’s innings entertained one-and-all that was present at a packed MCG on the opening day of that Test match.

#1 Bloemfontein, 2001

Shaun Pollock, the South African skipper had asked the Indians to bat first after winning the toss in the first test at Bloemfontein. India were in early trouble at 68 for 4, when Sehwag walked in at No.6 to join his idol Sachin Tendulkar at the crease.

What followed was an exceptional display of counterattacking batting as the Delhi right-hander scored a breezy 105, his first century in his very first Test match.The duo put on 220 at a run rate of almost 6 runs an over. Tendulkar himself scored a majestic 155 as the two got India out of trouble. Although India went on to lose the game, the Test match had given birth to one of the modern-day greats.