Untold records of India’s cricketing fabulous 7

By Dakshesh Pathak
— The first seven batsmen of Indian team, played against West Indies at Ferozshah Kotla in the first test of 2011 series, have accumulated 52049 runs in total number of 689 test matches among them, with 140 centuries and 251 half centuries.

No team ever in the history of cricket had this distinction of such awesome and envious record. Not even Ricky Ponting’s ‘virtually unbeatable side from 2003 to 2007′ team could match this record. The likes of Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Ricky Punting, Damien Martin, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds and Adam ‘Gilly’ couldn’t match this record that Indian team holds today. Even Clive Lloyd’s one of the greatest eleven of cricket history from 1980 to 1985, didn’t have this distinction of its first seven batsmen scoring more than 50000 runs among them.

It was one of the strongest batting line up with Gorden Greenidge, ‘Hammer’ Desmond Haynes, Sir Vivian Richards, Clive Lloyd, Alvin Kalicharan ( Later on, larry Gomes took his place ), Gus Logie, Jeff Dujon which ripped apart every bowling attack of every team from 1983 to 1985, but still, today’s Indian batting line up surges ahead in terms of total number of runs scored by first 7 batsmen.

—Another interesting fact about this Indian batting line up is, two batsmen with 10,000 plus runs are playing together in a single team, who also accumulate 86 centuries between them. Sachin Tendulkar with 14965 runs and 51 centuries and Rahul dravid with 12775 runs with 35 centuries. Sachin has scored 61 half centuries and Dravid has scored 60 half centuries. So, if we count both, it reaches to 27740 runs, 86 centuries, 121 half centuries in 338 test matches between them ( Sachin 181 and Dravid 157 ). Also, for the first time in the history of cricket, two batsmen with more than 150 test matches are playing together in a single team.

—The first seven batsmen in today’s team, considered for this record are as under.

— Virender Sehwag — 87 tests, 7694 runs, 22 centuries, 27 half centuries
— Gautam gambhir — 41 tests, 3336 runs, 9 centuries, 16 half centuries
— Rahul Dravid — 157 tests, 12775 runs, 35 centuries, 60 half centuries
— Sachin Tendulkar — 181 tests, 14965 runs, 51 centuries, 61 half centuries
— vvs Lakshman — 127 tests, 8328 runs, 16 centuries, 54 half centuries
— Yuvraj Singh — 35 tests, 1709 runs, 03 centuries, 10 half centuries
— M.S.Dhoni — 61 tests, 3242 runs, 04 centuries, 23 half centuries.

Total : 689 tests, 52049 runs, 140 centuries, 251 half centuries among first 7 batsmen of Indian cricket team which played against West Indies on 6th November 2011.
(The records stated here are till the last test match against England in September 2011, before the start of current test series against West Indies)

– Total number of runs scored among these players –60463
( Sehwag- 7760, Gambhir- 4286, Dravid- 10889, Tendulkar- 18111, Lakshman- 2338, Yuvraj- 8051, Dhoni- 6497, Kohli- 2531 )

– Centuries– 116 ( Sehwag- 14, Gambhir- 09, Dravid- 12, Tendulkar- 48, Lakshman- 06, Yuvraj- 13, Dhoni-07, Kohli- 07 )

– Half centuries–360 ( Sehwag-37, Gambhir-27, Dravid- 83, Tendulkar- 95, Lakshman- 10, Yuvraj- 49, Dhoni- 43, Kohli- 16 )

If we club both test and one day records of first seven batsmen (the seventh batsman in this team has been picked up alternatively between Yuvraj, Kohli and Lakshman at different time phase), it reaches to really awesomeeee——-

– It goes like this……….

—- 2466 matches, 1,12588 runs, 256 centuries and 611 half centuries……

Could any team match this even in slightest possibility?
Well, had there been no second world war, had test matches been played between these years, had oneday matches been introduced at that time itself and had everyone from Sir Don Bradman’s ‘The Invincibles’ fit from 1938 to 1947, with Sir Don and Bill Ponsford taking the charge with strong support from Sidney Barnes, Arthur Morris, Lindsay Hassett and Keith Miller and Ray Lindwall as batting all-rounders like they did many often, had there been no Kerry Packer and had Clive Lloyd’s team not spent 3 years with his unofficial matches from 1977 to 1979 in the prime time of Sir Viv Richards, Greenidge, Haynes, Lloyd himself, Frederics Collis King and Derrick Murray, had all the great batsmen of Ricky Ponting’s team played in a single eleven for longer time with no pre-mature or early retirement by Damien Martin and others……….the possibility would have been there….but this Indian team has shown greater figures than ‘ifs and buts…..’ a very awesome record…which seems to be literally difficult for any future team to surpass…

Dakshesh Pathak is a senior journalist and member of GMC
He can be reached on daksheshpathak@yahoo.com