Statistical highlights

5th Test, Day 1 at Kingston

** The first wicket partnership of 111 runs between Chris Gayle and Wavell Hinds was the first 100-plus opening stand at this venue since February 1994 when Englishmen Mike Atherton & Alec Stewart put on 121 runs. Incidentally the last time the home side had put a 100-plus opening partnership at this venue was when Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes put on 118 against Australia in March 1991.

** The last occasion a West Indian opening pair put on 100-plus against India was in December 1987 at Calcutta when Greenidge and Haynes put on 114 runs. Before this, the same pair had put on 296 at St John’s in April 1983.

** The above partnership was the best for the West Indies against India at this venue obliterating the previous best of 105 between Roy Fredericks and Lawrence Rowe in April 1976.

** Playing in his 21st Test match and 35th innings Chris Gayle (68, when on 61) became the 43rd West Indian batsman and the 378th batsmen in Test cricket to reach this milestone. At 22 years 239 days Gayle becomes the fifth youngest West Indian and by far the youngest West Indian opener to do so. Former opener Desmond Haynes was 24 years 284 days when he achieved his 1000th run landmark in 1980.

** Wavell Hinds’ 113 was the first century by a West Indian left-handed opening batsman against India since the 104 by Roy Fredericks at the Wankhede Stadium, Bombay in January 1975.

** Playing in his 25th Test match Harbhajan Singh claimed his 100th wicket of his career, when he dismissed Wavell Hinds. He becomes the 14th Indian and the 125th bowler in Tests to reach this milestone.

** By achieving the above milestone at the age of 21 years 319 days, Harbhajan becomes the fourth youngest to do so in Test cricket history after former Indian pace bowler Kapil Dev (21 years 23 days in 1980), New Zealand left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori (21 years 44 days in 2000) and Pakistani fast bowler Waqar Younis (21 years 47 days in 1993). Harbhajan however becomes the youngest off-spinner to reach this landmark by bettering the previous record of 22 years 356 days held by Pakistani Saqlain Mushtaq since 1999.

** Ashish Nehra becomes the first left-arm pace bowler to claim the prized wicket of Brian Lara on three separate occasions. The other left-arm pace bowlers to do it twice are: Australians Mike Whitney & Brendon Julian, and Pakistani Wasim Akram.

** Though Ramnaresh Sarwan (65) has yet again missed a three-figure mark, this was his 17th double figure score in as many innings since April 2001. Since then Sarwan in 17 innings has aggregated 849 runs (avg. 53.06) with 9 scores in the fifties. During this period his highest score has been 88 against Sri Lanka at Galle, while his lowest being 17 against Sri Lanka at Kandy - both in November last.