Two batsmen scoring double centuries in the same innings

Scoring a double century is difficult in itself. So two batsmen scoring double centuries in the same innings isn't a common occurrence. And so it has proved to be as there have only been 16 instances of that happening in the history of Tests.

The first time it happened was in 1934 and since then, many more have followed suit. So how many pairs of batsmen have managed to achieved that it the most? Which country has done it on the most occasions?

Only seven countries have managed to do it. Here is the complete list of the number of times two batsmen have scored double centuries in the same innings.

India

India have produced some of the finest batsmen that ever played Test cricket. From the likes of Sunil Gavaskar to Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid but they have managed to achieve this feat just once. And even on that occasion, it wasn't the likes of Dravid, Sehwag or Sachin who did it.

In October 2008, VVS Laxman and Gautam Gambhir became the first Indian pair to score double century in the same innings. It came against Australia at the Ferozshah Kotla in a Test that was eventually drawn.

Gambhir scored 206 while Laxman finished unbeaten on 200 and the pair added 278 runs for the fourth wicket as India declared with the score at 613/7. In response, Australia scored 577 and a high-scoring encounter ended in a draw.

South Africa

They are the only Proteas pair to have achieved this feat

Much like India, South Africa have also achieved this feat just once. The only time that two South African batsmen scored a double century in the same innings was in 2008. It came against Bangladesh at Chittagong when openers Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie both scored double centuries.

After winning the toss, the Proteas elected to bat first and the openers put on 415 for the opening wicket. McKenzie scored 226, which was his highest Test score while Smith scored 232. They declared on 583/7 and bundled out the hosts for 259 and 119 as the visitors won by an innings and 205 runs.

England

Gatting batted India out of the game

Despite boasting of some of the best batsmen to have played the game, England have had two batsmen scoring double centuries in the same innings just once. And that came against India in 1985 at Chennai.

After bowling India out for 272 on the back of a six-fer from Neil Foster, Mike Gatting and opener Graeme Fowler set the foundation for a convincing victory. After a 178-run opening partnership, Fowler put on 241 runs for the second wicket with Gatting and both batsmen scored double centuries.

Fowler finished with 201 before nicking behind while Gatting was dismissed for 207. England finished with 652/7 before declaring. India scored 412 in the second innings but England chased the target of 35 with the loss of a single wicket.

West Indies

Chanderpaul was the Man of the Match in that Test against SA

West Indies are among the four countries who have had two batsmen scoring double centuries in the same innings more than once. The two instances were spread across almost 50 years.

Gary Sobers' 365* (then a world record score) and Conrad Hunte' 260 against Pakistan at Jamaica in 1958 was the first time it had happened. West Indies won that game by an innings and 174 runs.

The second it happened was also in West Indies, but this time in Guyana against South Africa in 2005. Wavell Hinds and Shivnarine Chanderpaul were the batsmen who made merry as the hosts put on 543/5 before they declared. However, inclement weather and some stoic resistance from South Africa meant that the game ended in a draw.

Pakistan

Miandad has been part of two such instances

Pakistan have done this thrice and Javed Miandad, arguably their finest batsmen, has been part of it twice, the joint-most of any player in the history of Tests. The first time two Pakistani batsman scored a double ton in the same innings was against India in 1983, a game that they won by an innings and 119 runs.

Miandad scored an unbeaten 280 while Mudassar Nazar scored 231 at the Niaz stadium in Hyderabad (Sind) as Pakistan declared on 581/3 before bowling out India for 189 and 273.

The second time was in 1985 when Miandad finished unbeaten on 203 after a 397-run partnership with Qasim Omar for the third wicket to help Pakistan draw the Test against Sri Lanka in Faisalabad.

Inzamam-ul-Haq and Ijaz Ahmed were double centurions the third time it happened. An unbeaten 200 from Inzamam and 211 from Ijaz Ahmed helped them beat Sri Lanka by an innings and 175 runs at Dhaka in 1999.

Sri Lanka

The pair flattened South Africa in 2006

Since 1997, when two Sri Lankan batsmen scored double centuries in the same innings for the first time, no team has achieved that feat more times than Sri Lanka, who have done it four times. They also jointly-hold the record for the team with most such instances, along with Australia.

In 1997, Sanath Jayasuriya (340) and Roshan Mahanama (225) became the first Sri Lankan pair to achieve it, when they pummeled the Indian bowlers to all corners of the R Premadasa Stadium.

Kumar Sangakkara and Marvan Atapattu became the second pair to do it after their double tons against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo in 2004. Atapattu's 249 and Sangakkara's 270 helped them beat the hosts by an innings and 254 runs.

The third and fourth time this happened, Mahela Jayawardene was one of the batsmen on both occasions. Sangakkara (287) and Jayawardene (374) helped them beat South Africa by an innings at Colombo in 2006. Jayawardene's 240 and Thilan Samaraweera's 231 was cancelled out by Younis Khan's triple ton in 2009 as they had to share the spoils with Pakistan at Karachi.

Australia

Clarke and Ponting were the last pair to achieve this feat

The first time that two batsmen scored double centuries in the same innings was in the 1934 Ashes. Don Bradman (244) and Will Ponsford (266) both posted double tons at The Oval as Australia hammered England by 562 runs.

Bradman was involved in the second time that this feat was achieved as well. This time, his partner in crime was Sidney Barnes. Both batsmen scored 234 as Australia beat England by an innings and 33 runs at Sydney in 1946.

William Lawry and Bob Simpson were the batsmen when Australia managed it for the third time, in 1965 against West Indies at Barbados. Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke were the last pair to do it when they both scored double centuries against India at Adelaide in 2012 as Australia hammered India by 298 runs.