Statistical highlights of Nagpur Test (5th day)
Mohandas Menon
** Playing in his 90th Test match, Sachin Tendulkar has set a new Indian
record by being a part of a winning side for the 25th time in his career
since being involved in his first win against Sri Lanka at Chandigarh in
November 1990, which incidentally was the 11th Test of his career. He
bettered Kapil Dev who has been a part of 24 Test winning sides from 1979 to
1994.
** Anil Kumble's five-wicket haul (5-63) has now taken his career tally of
wickets to 309 (avg 27.69, s/r 68.23) in 67 matches. However it is
interesting to note that Kumble's performances are better in the second
innings of a Test match than the first. In 8533 balls he has 143 wickets at
an average of 24.36 and at strike-rate of 59.67 balls per wicket, while
bowling in the second innings of a Test match. Although, he tends to take
more wickets in the first innings of a Test match (166), his bowling average
(30.56) and strike-rate (75.60) is quite poor compared to his performances
in the second innings. Moreover, he now has 11 five-plus wicket hauls in
second innings as against the eight he has in the first.
** Playing its 350th Test match India won its 69th Test and its 53rd at home
in 186 matches.
** This was the first result at this venue since 1986, after three
successive drawn matches.
** India's only other win at this venue came against Sri Lanka in December
1986, when it won by an innings and 106 runs.
** The victory by an innings & 101 runs was India's fifth best in Tests
after its innings and 219 runs win against Australia at Calcutta, March
1998; innings & 119 runs win against Sri Lanka at Lucknow in January 1994;
innings & 109 runs win against New Zealand at Madras (Corpn) in January 1956
and the innings & 106 runs win against Sri Lanka at this venue in December
1986.
** India's previous best win against Zimbabwe came at Delhi when it won by
an innings and 13 runs in March 1993.
** This was Zimbabwe's fifth biggest loss in Tests. The others being the
innings & 219 runs loss to South Africa at Harare in November 1999; innings
& 209 runs to England at Lord's in May 2000; innings & 176 runs to West
Indies at Bulawayo in July 2001 and innings & 166 runs to Sri Lanka in
December last year at the SSC, Colombo.
** This was Zimbabwe's fourth defeat in a row. It now equals its worst loss
sequence in Tests. The team had earlier lost four Tests in a row from
November 1992 to December 1993 and from January-February 1998.