3 records Usman Khawaja broke on Day 1 of the Ahmedabad Test vs India
Australian opener Usman Khawaja put on a terrific batting display to notch up his 14th Test hundred during Day 1 of the fourth Test against India. The series finale being played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad saw the visitors win the toss and elect to bat first.
On a placid surface with no demons off it, Australia began proceedings well with a 61-run opening partnership. Travis Head lost his wicket after scoring 32, but Khawaja held up his end admirably.
The southpaw negotiated the Indian pacers well, while also getting himself a few runs. He then rarely deviated from his method of playing the hosts' spinners off the back foot, punishing them when they dropped short and blocking away the good deliveries.
UZZIE GIVES THE AUSSIES A FIRST TON THIS TOUR 
๐ฏ UZZIE GIVES THE AUSSIES A FIRST TON THIS TOUR ๐ฏ
No-one has scored more Test runs over the last 14 months. All class and what a superstar, putting Australia on top after day one. #INDvAUS
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After reaching his fifty off 146 balls, Khawaja smashed a wonderful century in the last over of the day's play. It is his sixth Test ton following his return to the Australian setup in January 2022.
His tranquil approach found the perfect counterpoint in Cameron Green, who joined him with the score reading 170/4. Green blazed 49 runs and found the boundary eight times to take the touristsโ score to 255/4 at Stumps on Day 1.
En route to his unbeaten knock of 104, Usman Khawaja shattered multiple records. He has now become the first Australian left-hander to score a Test ton in India in 13 years, with Marcus North being the last. North scored 128 against India in Bangalore all the way back in 2010.
On that note, let's take a look at three other significant records that Usman Khawaja broke during Day 1 of the Ahmedabad Test between India and Australia.
#3 Usman Khawaja becomes only the second overseas batter to bat out a day against India in India since 2013
It hasn't been easy for overseas batters to survive faultlessly against a potent Indian bowling unit, let alone dominate them in Indian conditions.
Usman Khawaja, however, did so in some fashion on Thursday (March 9). Opening the innings, he toiled hard and batted throughout the day to put Australia ahead in the game.
Khawaja being batted out the entire day and has now become only the second to do so in a Test against India in India since 2013. Prior to the Aussie, the only batter to have achieved this feat was Sri Lanka's Dinesh Chandimal, who batted out the entire Day 3 of the Delhi Test in 2017.
Fabulous ๐ฏ off the blade of Usman Khawaja! ๐
Excellent knock under the circumstances, bringing up just the 2nd 1โฃ0โฃ0โฃ of the series.
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#2 Khawaja breaks Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara's record
Australia opener Usman Khawaja has scored more fifties in India since 2021 than Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara.
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Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara have been the two pillars of Indian Test cricket for over a decade now. The two, however, haven't been in the best of their form of late and have only notched up only two half-centuries each in Tests in India since 2021.
Interestingly, Khawaja, who is playing first-ever Test series in India, has already hit three 50+ scores. While this stat is a bit concerning for Indian fans, it also goes to show how well the Pakistan-born batter has adapted to the Indian conditions.
#1 Khawaja now has the highest batting average as an opener in Test history
After a hiatus of more than two years, Usman Khawaja made a roaring comeback to the Australian setup in 2022. The left-hander has grown from strength to strength and has mustered the most runs (1,532 runs) by any batter since then.
He has also made the opening slot his and has been phenomenal in the baggy green. While he started his career as a middle-order batter, it is as an opener where Khawaja has excelled greatly.
Highest batting average for Test openers (minimum 20 innings):
68.38 โ Usman Khawaja ๐ฆ๐บ
61.10 โ Herbert Sutcliffe ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ
56.90 โ Bruce Mitchell ๐ฟ๐ฆ
56.47 โ Leonard Hutton ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ
56.37 โ Jack Hobbs ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ
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In fact, his Test average as an opener following his century in Ahmedabad has now jumped to 68.38. This is the best batting average for an opener in Test match history (minimum 20 Tests played). England's Herbert Sutcliffe previously held the record, averaging 61.1 across 54 Tests as an opener.
It remains to be seen if Khawaja will be able to maintain his average in upcoming Tests, including the much-anticipated Ashes against England.