Defending champions New Zealand failed to qualify for World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23 final but they are way ahead of India on the list of batters with highest individual scores during the cycle. New Zealand’s wicketkeeper-batter Tom Latham holds the record for the highest individual score in the ongoing WTC cycle.
Leading the New Zealand side against Bangladesh at home, Latham scored 252 runs while opening the innings. He shared a 215-run partnership for the second wicket with Devon Conway who scored 109 runs before getting out. Latham batted for a total of 552 minutes. He faced 373 balls and hit 34 fours and two sixes in his 252-run knock.
The southpaw's mammoth knock helped New Zealand post 521/6 before declaring the innings. Bangladesh could not put up a fight at Christchurch and lost the match by an innings and 117 runs.
List of double centurions
A total of eight double centuries were scored during WTC 2021-23 cycle. Kane Williamson scored two double tons, one against Sri Lanka and another against Pakistan. Sri Lanka's Dinesh Chadimal, Australia's Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and David Warner, New Zealand's Henry Nicholls were the other batters with double centuries to their name.
Kohli’s drought-ending century
No Indian batter featured in the top 10 highest individual scores. Virat Kohli registered the highest individual score with a 186-run knock against Australia in Ahmedabad Test of Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023. Kohli also ended his century drought in Test cricket. The Test ended in a draw.
Jadeja’s unbeaten 175
Interestingly, the next Indian batter on the list is not a top-order batter. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja scored 175 not out against Sri Lanka in Mohali last year that helped India win by an innings and 222 runs. A total of nine Indian batters scored centuries during this period.
There were no mammoth scores from Indian batters as the pitches at home favoured the spinners. Majority of the matches ended with three or four days as the spin duo of Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin would prey on visiting batters who struggled to deal with lack of bounce.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
34-year-old South African spinner creates unique history in T20 Blast with hat-trick in opening over
U19 heroes Shweta Sehrawat, Parshavi Chopra in India ‘A’ squad for Emerging Women’s Asia Cup 2023
