28 December,2011 07:07 AM IST | | Agencies
India opener Virender Sehwag, who smashed the 200-run barrier in the ODIs after he scored 219 off 149 balls against the West Indies in Indore earlier this month, has now become the fifth Indian and 23rd player in the history of Test cricket to complete 8000 runs.
Sehwag in full flow at the MCG. Pic/Getty Images
Sehwag achieved the milestone when he reached 20 by guiding Peter Siddle to deep fine leg at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) yesterday. Sachin Tendulkar (15,183), Rahul Dravid (13,094), Sunil Gavaskar (10,122) and VVS Laxman (8,626) are the other Indians who have achieved this coveted milestone.
Sehwag's feat of 8000 runs from 160 innings is also the fifth quickest in the longer version. The other four batsmen being Kumar Sangakkara (152), Sachin Tendulkar (154), Gary Sobers (157) and Rahul Dravid (158).
En route to his 67, Sehwag added 75 runs for the second wicket with Dravid yesterday. He struck seven fours during his stay. Sehwag was dismissed after an inside edge crashed onto the stumps while attempting a cover drive off James Pattinson. Sehwag now has 8,047 runs in 93 Tests.
Another milestone for Tendulkar & Dravid
Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid yesterday became the first pair to register 20 partnerships of 100 runs or more in Test cricket, leaving behind West Indies famed opening pair of Desmond Haynes and Gordon Greenidge
Tendulkar and Dravid added 117 runs for the third wicket during India's first innings at MCG. Together they have scored 6,852 runs in 140 innings, with an average of 51.51.
