WTC Final: Did Shardul Thakur equal a Don Bradman record?

The World Test Championship Final is underway as Australia are becoming the favourites to win with each passing hour. The Indian team were smashed all around the park by the Aussie batters in the first innings as Australia scored 469 runs thanks to centuries from Travis Head and former Australia captain, Steve Smith. In the second innings, India was once again in a spot of bother when they were reduced to 71 for 4 and then 152 for 6. A century stand between Ajinkya Rahane and Shardul Thakur got them to a respectable total. Rahane missed out on a well-deserved century after he was dismissed for 89 runs. Shardul on the other hand, was dismissed for 51 runs.

Shardul’s great record

Shardul Thakur with a half-century equalled Sir Donald Bradman’s and Allan Border’s record. The century by the Indian all-rounder in the WTC Final was his third consecutive fifty at the venue. Bradman achieved the feat during 1930-34 while Border did it in 1985-89.

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The last time India visited England, Shardul had scored two fifties in two innings. Batting first, Shardul scored 57 runs in just 36 balls. His fifty came in just 31 balls and he etched his name in the record books as his fifty was the fastest fifty scored by an Indian in Test cricket in England. Interestingly, all of his 4 fifties have come in overseas conditions. His first fifty came against Australia when he scored 67 runs in the second innings of the famous Gabba test.

Don Bradman and Allan Border

Don Bradman first scored a double century at The Oval in the only innings from the tour of 1930 and then in 1934 he once again scored a double century at The Oval in the first and followed it by a score of 77 runs.

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Allan Border in 1985 at The Oval scored 58 runs in the second innings and once the Australian team returned in 1989, Border scored 76 runs in the first innings and then he scored 51 not out to see a draw for his side.