Team India bagged a historic feat on October 11 as they become the first team in 65 years to register 50-plus partnerships for each of the first five wickets in a single Test innings against West Indies. It all happened on Day 2 of the second Test between India and West Indies where Shubman Gill-led side declared their innings at 518/5.
A substantial transformation has been underway in Indian Test cricket over the past few months. When Shubman Gill took over the captaincy, his mandate was twofold: not only to continue the team's impressive march toward overseas success but also to urgently restore the pride of India's unmatched home record, which had been severely tarnished by a whitewash against New Zealand last year.
Team India matches rare 65-year-old record against WI
In the ongoing two-Test series against the West Indies, Gill's side is showing concrete signs of progress and a renewed focus on dominance. One remarkable statistic perfectly encapsulates this improvement: in the second Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, India achieved a feat not seen in nearly 65 years. They became the first team to record 50-run-plus partnerships for each of the first five wickets in a single Test innings against the West Indies. The last team to accomplish this rare feat against the Windies was Australia, during the famous tied Test match at the Gabba way back in 1960.
Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal crack tons
Gill led by example in Delhi, smashing a commanding 129 not out as India declared their first innings at a monumental 518 for five on the second day. The previous day had been set up by top-scorer Yashasvi Jaiswal, who built solid partnerships of 58 and 243 runs with KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan, respectively. Despite Jaiswal falling early on Day 2 to an unfortunate run-out for 175, Gill remained utterly composed, pacing his innings with both precision and authority.
Gill's masterful knock, which featured 16 fours and two sixes across his 196-ball stay, was crucial in consolidating India's position. He stitched together two vital partnerships that accelerated the scoring: a 91-run stand with Nitish Kumar Reddy (43) and a 102-run fifth-wicket partnership with Dhruv Jurel (44). India added 200 runs in just 44.2 overs for the day, maintaining a brisk tempo throughout. Once Jurel was dismissed, Gill immediately received the declaration signal from the dressing room, prioritizing the team's strategic goals over the chance to chase his own double century.
In reply to India's massive total, the West Indies' batting lineup was left reeling. By the end of Day 2, they had slumped to 140/4, thanks largely to the brilliance of Ravindra Jadeja, who claimed a decisive three-wicket haul to place India firmly in command.