Ravindra Jadeja was one of three India batsmen to score centuries on Day 2 of the first Test against the West Indies in Ahmedabad. The all-rounder hit as many as five sixes during the innings and could add to that tally on Day 3, having finished the second day unbeaten on 104 off 176 balls. In the process, he has moved up to fourth on the list of Indian players with most sixes in Test cricket.
The player he overtook was none other than MS Dhoni under whose captaincy Jadeja had made his Test debut in December 2012. Jadeja now has 80 sixes to his name while Dhoni had retired with 78. Above him on the list are Rohit Sharma (88), Rishabh Pant (90), Virender Sehwag (91).
Overall, however, the 36-year-old is only 18th in the overall list. England captain Ben Stokes sits at the top of the list with 136 sixes. Sehwag, who has the most sixes among Indians, is himself only seventh in the overall standings.
Jadeja on Friday scored his century in 168 balls and marked the milestone with his trademark sword celebration with his bat. Washington Sundar was at the other end and incidentally, Jadeja had the same partner batting with him the last time he scored a Test century as well.
That was in an effort to save the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford in Manchester. This time, though, it was hammered home India’s dominance over the West Indies. India’s total reached 437/5 at the time that Jadeja took the single to reach the milestone, their lead having swollen to 274. Stumps were called shortly after with India’s score 448/5, leading by 286 runs.
Jadeja had earlier put up a partnership of 206 runs off 331 balls with Dhruv Jurel, who himself scored his maiden Test century. Jurel was dismissed on 125 off 210 balls after which Sundar and Jadeja’s stand stayed unbeaten on 23 off 30 balls at Stumps. Before that, it was KL Rahul who was the first Indian on the day to score a ton, which was his first at hime after 3,211 days.
Stay updated with the latest sports news across Cricket, Football, Chess, and more. Catch all the action with real-time live cricket score updates and in-depth coverage of ongoing matches.
