Cheteshwar Pujara and Shikhar Dhawan might not have registered their double tons, but the dynamic duo surely etched themselves in an elite list. While Dhawan was sent packing on Wednesday for a destructive knock of 190, Pujara was dismissed early on the second day, for 153. This remains Pujara’s second ton in Sri Lanka in as many games.
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The two batsmen, become just the fourth Indian batting pair to score in excess of 150 each while playing in a Test away from home. To dominate an opposition in its own backyard, it remains vital of the batsmen to make big centuries and make their scores count. To add to that, if two batsmen go on to score in more than 150, then the team is surely set to be in a rather dominant position.
This trend, of two Indian batsmen playing knocks in excess of 150, in the same innings of an away Test commenced with the legendary pair of Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman. The two made 241* and 178, respectively against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January 2004.
Barely a few months later, Tendulkar along with opener Virender Sehwag repeated the feat, as India massacred Pakistan at Multan. While Sehwag was dismissed on an epic 309, Tendulkar remained unbeaten on 194.
More than 11 years later, openers Shikhar Dhawan and M. Vijay raked up 173 and 150, respectively against Bangladesh, in the one off Test at Fataullah. Dhawan and Pujara can surely look back at their knocks with great pride, as it associates them with a unique list.
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