5 youngest batters to score a Test 200 for India ft. Yashasvi Jaiswal
Team India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal completed a brilliant double hundred on Day 2 of the second Test against England at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Saturday, February 3. The left-hander, who was 179* overnight, was troubled by England’s pace bowling legend James Anderson, but survived a tricky period to bring up a well-deserved double hundred.
Jaiswal reached his double century in fine fashion. On 191, he swept debutant off-spinner Shoaib Bashir for a six over square leg and then whacked the next ball in the same region for a boundary. The southpaw was the eighth wicket to fall in the Indian innings. He tried to take on Anderson, but only succeeded in mishitting the ball.
The Uttar Pradesh-born cricketer, who plays domestic cricket for Mumbai, is among the youngest to score a double hundred in Test cricket for India. Here’s a look at the top five players on the illustrious list.
#5 Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi (23 years and 34 days)
Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi was 23 years and 34 days when he scored a memorable double hundred against England in Delhi in February 1964. In a high-scoring game that ended in a draw, Pataudi, leading the Indian team, compiled 203* in 430 minutes, a knock that featured 23 fours and two sixes.
Pataudi added 125 runs for the third wicket with Budhi Kunderan (100) and an unbroken 190 for the fifth wicket with Chandu Borde (67*). India were 463/4 in 165 overs in their second innings when the Test match ended. Batting first, India had put up 344, while England had responded with 451.
#4 Yashasvi Jaiswal (22 years and 36 days)
Jaiswal at the age of 22 years and 36 days is the fourth youngest among Indian batters (male or female) to smash a double hundred in Test cricket. His knock of 209, which came off 290 balls, featured 17 fours and as many as seven sixes. The youngster batted for 423 minutes, dominating India’s first innings, as the hosts put up 396 on the board in 112 overs.
The brilliance of Jaiswal’s knock can be gauged by the fact that he was the highest run-getter in the Indian innings by some distance. Shubman Gill’s 34 was the next best score, while Rajat Patidar contributed 32. Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin were dismissed in the 20s.
#3 Sunil Gavaskar (21 years and 277 days)
Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar notched up a famous double hundred at the age of 21 years and 277 days against the West Indies in Port-of-Spain in April 1971. The knock came with India under pressure in the game. A first-innings hundred from Gavaskar (124) saw the visitors post 360 on the board, but West Indies replied with 526 as Garry Sobers and Charlie Davis hit tons.
In India’s second innings, Gavaskar contributed 220 out of a total of 427. He occupied the crease for 529 minutes and hit 22 fours in his marathon knock, keeping the legendary West Indies fast bowling attack at bay. Skipper Ajit Wadekar’s 54 was the next best score in India’s innings. Chasing 262, West Indies lost eight wickets for 161 runs, but hung on for a draw.
#2 Vinod Kambli (21 years and 32 days)
Vinod Kambli was only 21 years and 32 days old when he scored a famous double hundred against England at his home ground - the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai - in February 1993. After England put up 347 batting first, India replied with 591 courtesy of Kambli’s double ton.
The left-hander hit 224 off 411 balls, smashing 23 fours during his 608-minute stay at the crease. He added 194 runs for the third wicket with childhood friend Sachin Tendulkar (78). He was the eighth wicket to fall in the Indian innings, caught by Mike Gatting off Chris Lewis.
India went on to win the match by an innings and 15 runs. Incredibly, Kambli notched up a double hundred in his next Test as well, scoring 227 off 301 balls against Zimbabwe in Delhi in March 1993.
#1 Mithali Raj (19 years and 254 days)
Former India Women’s captain Mithali Raj is the youngest India batter to notch up a double hundred in Test cricket. She was only 19 years and 254 days old when she scored a double century against England in the Taunton Test in August 2002.
England batted first in the match and put up 329 on the board. India responded with 467 as Mithali hit a magnificent 214 off 407 balls. Her innings included 19 fours and lasted 598 minutes. Mithali’s fine knock ended when she was trapped leg before by Isa Guha.
During the course of her knock, Mithali added 144 with Hemlata Kala (62) and 157 with Jhulan Goswami (62). The match ended in a draw as England declared their second innings at 198/6. Mithali’s feat is also the record for the youngest Test double ton by a female batter.
(Note: Age of players mentioned is at the start of the Test match)