Kiwi batsmen create history

Stephen Fleming may be seeing visions of making history by becoming the first New Zealand captain to win a Test series in India, but his batsmen have already created another bit of history at Mohali.

When all-rounder Scott Styris completed his second Test century this afternoon, it was the first time ever in India that the top three batsmen of a side had scored a century in the same innings.

Earlier, on Day 1 of the match, openers Mark Richardson and Lou Vincent had reached the three-figure mark. In fact, captain Fleming was due in next, but he got tired of waiting the whole day in the pavilion with his pads on and decided to promote Styris in the order.

This was also the first time in New Zealand's Test history that the top three batsmen had scored centuries in the same innings.

India's batsmen had achieved this feat way back in 1986 when Sunil Gavaskar, Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Mohinder Amarnath scored centuries against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1986.

That match had, however, ended in a draw. And given the way the Kiwis batted through the first two days, a draw seems the most likely result in this game too, unless the Indians throw away their wickets.

Australia is the only team to have repeated the feat of the top three batsmen scoring centuries in the same innings. In fact they have done it thrice.

Following are all the seven instances of the top three batsmen of a Test side scoring centuries in the same innings: