This Virender Sehwag record in IND-SL Test matches remains unmatched
What's the story
As Team India prepares to face Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series, it's time to revisit some of the most impressive individual performances. The first match of the series will be played in Galle on August 15. Though many batters have made a significant mark in India-Sri Lanka Tests, there's a feat that only belongs to India's legendary opener Virender Sehwag. Here we look at that.
Record
Carrying bat through a completed innings
Sehwag was at his destructive best in the first innings of the 2008 Galle match.
In what can be called a one-man show, the opener scored a stunning 201* off just 231 balls while eight of India's 10 other batters failed to enter double digits.
The innings was studded with 22 boundaries and four sixes as India posted 329/10 and later won by 170 runs.
Notably, Sehwag scored a 52-ball 50 in India's second innings as well.
Milestones
Sehwag in a league of his own
To date, Sehwag remains the only Indian double-centurion to carry his bat through a completed Test innings.
No other Indian even has a 150-plus score in this regard.
India's Cheteshwar Pujara (145 in Colombo, 2015) and New Zealand's Tom Latham (264 in Wellington, 2018) are the only other openers to carry their bat against the Lankan Lions.
Latham's 264 also happens to be the highest individual score by any batsman carrying his bat through a Test innings.
Elite list
Other double-centurions on this list
At the time of his knock, Sehwag became just the fifth double-centurion in Test history to carry his bat.
He was later joined by Latham and England's Alastair Cook (244 vs Australia, 2018).
Australia's Bill Brown (206 vs England, 1938), England's England (202 vs West Indies, 1950), NZ's Glenn Turner (233 vs West Indies, 1972), and SL's Marvan Atapattu (216 vs Zimbabwe, 1999) entered this list before Sehwag.
Career
Sehwag's stunning Test career in stats
In a stunning Test career, Sehwag racked up 8,586 runs at a terrific average of 49.34, including 23 tons.
Sehwag is one of the four cricketers (Don Bradman, Chris Gayle, and Brian Lara) in the world to have slammed two triple hundreds in Test cricket.
1,239 of his runs and five of his tons came across 11 Tests against Sri Lanka at a jaw-dropping average of 72.88.
His other double-hundred against the team was a fine 293 in the 2009 Brabourne affair.