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It was a disappointing day for Indian bowlers at the office as they failed to take a single Kiwi wicket on Day 2. On a pitch that has been keeping low and favouring the spinners, Kiwi openers Tom Latham and Will Young were cautious throughout to get their team in a solid position in Kanpur Test. The unbeaten 129-run partnership and India’s inability to take wickets in two sessions also entered record books.
This is the first time in over a decade that Indian bowlers have failed to break a partnership in two sessions. There were three instances where it seemed India have got the breakthrough but Latham opted for DRS and it worked in their favour. The Kiwi duo also became first visiting opening pair since December 2016 to register a century-run partnership in India.
Kallis-Amla’s match-winning partnership
The last time two batters stayed unbeaten for two consecutive sessions was in 2010. After two early wickets, South Africa’s Test veterans Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis played two sessions on Day 1 in Nagpur. Amla stayed unbeaten on 253 whereas Kaliis scored 173. After the 344-run third-wicket partnership in first innings, South Africa went on to win the match by an innings and six runs.
Jayawardene duo’s torture
In 2009, it was the partnership between Mahela Jayawardene and Prasanna Jayawardene that went on for three sessions including last two on Day 3. The Sri Lankan duo put on 351 runs for the sixth wicket. The partnership started on Day 3 and went on till the second session of Day 4. Mahela went on to score 275 runs whereas the wicketkeeper-batter stayed unbeaten on 154. The mammoth partnership helped Sri Lanka post 760/7 before declaring. The match ended in a draw.
Strauss-Collingwood set a tough target
The third instance is of 2008 when former England skipper Andrew Strauss and Paul Collingwood helped their team set a big target in Chennai. Strauss and Collingwood shared a 214-run partnership for the fourth wicket after three English wickets fell cheaply. The two batted for two sessions and scored 108 runs each and helped their side set a big target for hosts. However, this is the only instance where India have emerged victoriously as century from Sachin Tendulkar and half-centuries from Yuvraj Singh and openers Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag helped chase down target of 387 on Day 5.
