Wicketless days in Test cricket since the year 2000

Test cricket is the ultimate form of cricket as it tests a player over a period of five days. In today's day and age, with the advent of T20 cricket, it is very rare that batsmen are willing to spend long hours at the crease.

The game of cricket is now witnessing batsmen scoring centuries in a session. Runs are being scored at a quicker rate with batsmen willing to take more and more risks to capitalise on every run scoring opportunity.

Since the year 2000, there have been six instances of wicketless days in Test cricket. Here is a look at the said six days.

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#1. March 14, 2001- Dravid, Laxman punish the Aussies

VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid scored 335 runs on day 4 of the Kolkata Test

The second Test between India and Australia at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata was indeed a phenomenal one. Batting first, despite a 7 wicket haul from Harbhajan Singh (which included a hat-trick), Australia scored 445.

India were already 1-0 down in the 3 match Test series having lost the first Test at Mumbai. India were bowled out for just 171 in their first innings and the Aussies enforced the follow-on.

The home team were down and out when their skipper Sourav Ganguly was dismissed in their second innings with the score on 232/4. Thereafter, Rahul Dravid joined V.V.S. Laxman and created history

The duo added 376 runs and severely punished all the Australian bowlers. Laxman and Dravid batted throughout the fourth day of the Test i.e. on March 14, 2001, without being dismissed and scored 335 runs on the said day.

The experienced Australian bowling attack comprising of McGrath, Gillespie, Warne and Kasprowicz were made to look ordinary and had no success against Laxman and Dravid. As many as 9 bowlers were used by the Australian captain Steve Waugh to break the partnership.

Riding on Laxman's 281 and Dravid's 180, India posted 657 runs in their second innings. Australia were bowled out for just 212 runs in 68.3 overs on the fifth day and India won a dramatic Test by 171 runs.

The highlight of the Test win was the batting of Dravid and Laxman on March 14, 2001. The duo had the temperament to bat for a long period of time and to tire out the bowlers. India went on to beat Australia 2-1 in the 3 match series and the partnership of Laxman and Dravid laid the foundation for the said series win.

#2. April 25, 2003- Jacques Rudolph and Boeta Dippenaar outclass the home team

Boeta Dippenaar and Jacques Rudolph added 429 runs at Chittagong in 2003

South Africa's tour of Bangladesh in the year 2003 saw the introduction of Jacques Rudolph to Test cricket. On his Test debut, Rudolph scored an unbeaten 222 and applied himself very well on a slow track at Chittagong.

After bowling out the hosts for 173 in their first innings, South Africa were reduced to 41-2. Boeta Dippenaar joined the debutant Rudolph and they dominated the bowling. The duo added 429 runs and were unbeaten when South Africa declared the innings at the score of 470.

The duo added 280 runs on April 25, 2003, without getting dismissed. Both Rudolph and Dippenaar were willing to spend long hours on the crease and establishing a place in the South African middle order.

The debutant Rudolph scored 222 runs of 383 balls which included 29 boundaries and 2 sixes and Dippenaar scored 177 runs off 369 balls which included 25 boundaries and 2 maximums.

Riding on the partnership, South Africa won the Test by a margin of an innings and 60 runs.

#3. July 28, 2006- Jayawardena and Sangakkara create history

The partnership of 624 between Sangakkara and Jayawardena is the highest ever in Test cricket

The first Test of the 2006 South Africa's tour of Sri Lanka witnessed the highest ever partnership in the history of Test cricket. The then Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene added 624 runs for the third wicket with his deputy Kumar Sangakkara.

The partnership of 624 is the highest ever for any wicket in Test cricket. Out of 624 runs, 357 were added on the second day of the Test i.e. on July 28, 2006. The South African bowling attack comprising of Ntini, Steyn, Nel, Hall and Boje tried all the tricks in the book to dismiss the duo but to no avail. Sri Lanka did not lose a single wicket on the above mentioned day.

Jayawardena scored 374 runs and Sangakkara scored 287 as Sri Lanka scored a mammoth 756 for the loss of five wickets when they declared their first innings.

South Africa lost the Test by an innings and 153 runs with Mahela Jayawardene being awarded the man of the match.

#4. May 25, 2007- Four batsmen bat on a wicketless day

Karthik and Jaffer opened the innings against Bangladesh in Dhaka in 2007

The first day of the second Test between India and Bangladesh was a rare occasion when four batsmen i.e. Dinesh Karthik, Wasim Jaffer, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar batted without losing their wickets.

326 runs were scored in the day by the India batsmen without losing their wickets. Jaffer and Karthik had to retire hurt midway through their innings which allowed Dravid and Sachin to dominate the Bangladesh bowlers.

Subsequently, Karthik, Jaffer, Dravid and Sachin all scored centuries and India had posted an impressive 610 for 3 when the innings was declared. Bangladesh were bowled out for 118 and 253 in their first and second innings respectively and India won the match by an innings and 239 runs. India won the 2 match Test series by a margin of 1-0.

#5. February 29, 2008- Smith and McKenzie open in style

Smith and McKenzie scored 405 runs on day 1 of the Chittagong Test in 2008

405 runs being scored without losing a wicket in 90 overs on the first day of a Test is an incredible achievement.

The then South African skipper added 405 runs with his opening partner Neil McKenzie on February 29, 2008. Smith scored 232 runs in South Africa's first innings off just 277 balls at an impressive strike rate of 83.75 with 33 boundaries and one six.

His opening partner McKenzie was equally impressive and scored 226 runs off 388 balls which consisted of 28 boundaries and 3 sixes.

Riding on the opening partnership of 415, the visitors declared their first innings at the score of 583. The hosts were bundled out for just 259 and 119 in their first and second innings respectively. South Africa won the Test by a margin of an innings and 205 runs.

Smith was named the Man of the Match for his aggressive innings at the top of the order.

#6. December 18, 2018- Matthews and Mendis rescue the Sri Lankans

Matthews and Mendis guided Sri Lanka to a draw

Test cricket had to wait for more than a decade to witness a wicketless day. The fourth day of the ongoing Test series between New Zealand and Sri Lanka was an extraordinary one.

The first Test at Wellington was dominated by the hosts for the first three days. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 282 in their first innings. In reply, the hosts scored an impressive 578 and were all set to win the Test.

At the end of day 3, Sri Lanka were reduced to 13-3 in their second innings and required a miracle to save the Test. The experienced Matthews along with the talented Kusal Mendis scored 239 runs on December 18, 2018, i.e. on the fourth day of the Test without being dismissed.

Sri Lanka ended day 4 at the score of 287/3, still 9 runs behind the Kiwis first innings total. The fifth day of the Test was dominated by rain and the gritty effort of Matthews and Mendis was enough to rescue the Test for Sri Lanka.