6 Indian batsmen who have scored two hundreds in the same Test
Scoring a hundred in a Test match is a challenging task for any batsman. They have to grind it out in the middle, survive the initial uncertain phase and mix caution with aggression to get to the coveted three-figure mark.
It logically follows then that it would be even more challenging for a batsman to score two hundreds in the same Test. In the entire history of Indian cricket there have been only six Indian batsmen who have managed this feat.
Let us look at the batsmen who have managed to do so.
#6 Vijay Hazare
Vijay Hazare played 30 matches for India and scored 2192 runs at average of 47.65, including 7 hundreds and 9 fifties. Hazare was the first Indian batsman to score two hundreds in the same Test.
In the year 1948, during India’s tour of Australia, Hazare scored a magical 116 in the first innings. His knock helped India post 381 on the board, in reply to Australia’s mammoth first innings total of 674.
Australia then enforced the follow-on and it was Hazare again who shone with the willow. He scored a classy 145 in the second innings, as the other Indian batsmen fell like a pack of cards around him.
Hazare's Herculean effort went in vain as the hosts thrashed India by an innings and 16 runs.
In this match, Hazare also took the prized scalp of the legendary Sir Don Bradman in the first innings.
#5 Sunil Gavaskar
The legendary Sunil Gavaskar was the first batsman in the history of Test cricket to breach the 10,000-run mark. Gavaskar also retired as the highest century maker in Tests (34), before his record was broken by Sachin Tendulkar.
Gavaskar managed to score two hundreds in the same Test as many as three times in his illustrious career. When India toured West Indies in 1971, Gavaskar scored a magnificent 124 in the first innings, facing up to the legendary West Indian bowling attack of that time. He followed his first innings heroics with another splendid 220 in the second innings.
Gavaskar's marathon effort helped India salvage a draw.
The second time he scored two hundreds was against arch-rivals Pakistan in 1978. Gavaskar scored 111 runs in the first innings, and followed that with another hundred (137) in the second innings. However, that couldn't stop the hosts as Pakistan romped home with 8 wickets to spare.
When the West Indies toured India in 1978-79, Gavaskar’s mastery again shone through against the toughest bowling attack of that generation. In the first innings of the Kolkata Test Gavaskar scored 107, and he followed that up with 182* in the second.
Gavaskar is the only Indian batsman to score two hundreds in the same Test thrice.
Also see – World Test Championship points table