Ricky Ponting became only the fifth batsman in Test cricket to score double centuries in two successive Tests by scoring 257 in Australia's first innings in the third Test against India at Melbourne.
Ponting had also made 242 in the first innings of the Adelaide Test that Australia lost by four wickets.
England's Wally Hammond, Australia's Don Bradman, India's Vinod Kambli and South Africa's Graeme Smith are the others to do so.
Bradman performed the feat thrice, while Hammond did so on two occasions. Kambli is the only batsman whose two double centuries in the successive Tests came against different opponents.
| Batsman | Score | Opponents | Venue | Season |
| Wally Hammond (Eng) | 251 | v Aus | Sydney | 1928-29 |
| 200 | v Aus | Melbourne | 1928-29 | |
| Don Bradman (Aus) | 254 | v Eng | Lord's | 1930 |
| 334 | v Eng | Leeds | 1930 | |
| Wally Hammond (Eng) | 227 | v NZ | Christchurch | 1932-33 |
| 336* | v NZ | Auckland | 1932-33 | |
| Don Bradman (Aus) | 304 | v Eng | Leeds | 1934 |
| 244 | v Eng | The Oval | 1934 | |
| Don Bradman (Aus) | 270 | v Eng | Melbourne | 1936-37 |
| 212 | v Eng | Adelaide | 1936-37 | |
| Vinod Kambli (Ind) | 224 | v Eng | Bombay WS | 1992-93 |
| 227 | v Zim | Delhi | 1992-93 | |
| Graeme Smith (SA) | 277 | v Eng | Birmingham | 2003 |
| 259 | v Eng | Lord's | 2003 | |
| Ricky Ponting | 242 | v Ind | Adelaide | 2003-04 |
| 257 | v Ind | Melbourne | 2003-04 |