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Opener Ruturaj Gaikwad rewrote record books as he became the first Indian to score a century against Australia in T20Is. Gaikwad became only the fourth T20I centurion against Australia. He reached his maiden T20I century from 52 balls at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati in the third T20I of the five-T20I series.
The record for the previous highest score for India against Australia in T20Is was an unbeaten 90 by Virat Kohli. In 2016, he scored 90 runs from 55 balls against Aaron Finch-led side at Adelaide Oval.
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Before Gaikwad, only three batters have scored a century against Australia in the format. Brendon McCullum had scored an unbeaten 116 in 2010 in Pallekele. Sri Lanka's Tillakaratne Dilshan had scored an unbeaten 104 in 2011. In 2018, former Kiwi opener Martin Guptill had scored 105 runs from 54 balls in Auckland in 2018.
Gaikwad scored 123 runs from just 57 balls. His knock featured 13 fours and seven sixes. It is the second-highest score by an Indian batter in T20Is. The top spot belongs to opener Shubman Gill who scored an unbeaten 126 from 63 balls against New Zealand at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad earlier this year.
Gaikwad’s knock helped India post 222/3 after Matthew Wade won the toss and opted to field first. Gaikwad reached his maiden T20I century with a six off Glenn Maxwell in the 20th over of the innings. Maxwell conceded 30 runs in the final over as Gaikwad smashed three sixes and two fours in the over.
Earlier in the innings, Gaikwad was cautious after Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ishan Kishan returned to the dressing room cheaply. He was batting on a run-a-ball 22 till the 11th over before skipper Suryakumar Yadav departed. Gaikwad switched gears and reached his half-century from 32 balls in the 14th over.
In the slog overs, he went berserk. He moved across the line and played slog sweeps. In the 18th over, he hit Aaron Hardie for three sixes and a four. He took just 20 deliveries to move from fifty to hundred runs.
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