Cricket in India is just like adding a pinch of salt to a dish. The sport adds flavour to our lives. We Indians have a special corner in our hearts for this game. In the last 85 years, half of the Indian population has followed this game as one of their religions. Even if a bunch of kids are paying gully cricket, an Indian cricket fanatic will surely stop for a little while to see what would happen on the next ball. This game has taught the real meaning of competitive spirit to many. Most of us have grown up watching and admiring numerous Indian cricket legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid. And today, if our country’s name is taken on a global stage, then cricket is one of the reasons why.
Apart from producing numerous extraordinary cricketers, our nation also holds many cricketing world records which are not easy to conquer. Here we list 5 such world records which were set on Indian soil and are yet to be broken:
1. First Double Century/Most Number of Double Centuries in ODIs
Double Centurions from India
We all know that Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar was the first man in the history of One Day Internationals to have scored a double century in Gwalior. Then Virender Sehwag crossed the 200-run benchmark and set the score 219 while playing against West Indies in Indore. Later came Rohit Sharma who broke all the previous individual records and scored a double hundred TWICE, first in Bangalore and then in Kolkata. Hence, India is the only country where 4 double tons have been scored.
2. First ever 250/Highest Individual score in One Day Internationals
Rohit Sharma celebrates after scoring his first double ton / Photo: PTI
On November 13, 2014, star Indian opener Rohit Sharma became the first cricketer to score more than 250 runs in ODIs while playing against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. In the same match, he ended up scoring 264 runs and made the record of highest individual score in ODIs. India set a mammoth target of 404 runs for Sri Lanka to chase but the visiting team could only score 251 runs before getting all out.
3. Fastest T20 century
Chris Gayle’s fatest century in Bangalore/ Photo: Daily Motion
Despite the presence of ferocious cricketer like AB de Villiers, this record is owned by Chris Gayle which he set while playing in Bengaluru. In the above-mentioned IPL match (RCB vs PWI, April 23, 2013) Chris Gayle caused a complete mayhem. He didn’t spare any of the PWI bowers including Mitchell Marsh, Ishwar Pandey, Ashoke Dinda, Aaron Finch and Ali Mortaza. With the help of his monstrous hitting, Gayle scored his ton off just 30 balls and set a world record which is still unbroken.
4. Highest Individual score in T20 Internationals
Just by reading the heading, even a person who doesn’t follow cricket could guess that the record would be with Universe Boss, Chris Gayle. This miracle happened in the sixth edition of the Indian Premier League during a match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Pune Warriors India (PWI) held in Bangalore. Chris Gayle came to open the innings and ended up scoring 175 runs off just 66 balls which includes 13 fours and 17 sixes.
5. Highest T20 team score
Well, that IPL match was totally historic where several world records were set. Firstly Gayle’s fastest century, then his highest individual score in T20s and lastly, the highest team total ever set in a T20 match. With Gayle’s magnificent 175 and Ab de Villiers’ fiery 8-ball 31, RCB posted a grand total of 263 runs in 20 overs.
However, 3 years later, on September 6, 2016, Australian cricket team equalled the score while playing against Sri Lanka at Pallekele.
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