Double centuries have become very rare today in Test cricket and we don't find a lot of players who hold their calm and composure, stay in the crease for longer duration and play some very crucial knocks.
A double-century is a symbol of resilience, calmness and technique and a dream for every Test cricketer. However, some cricketers have scored their maiden-double centuries at a very young age, showing their class and temperament.
#5 Graeme Smith (21 years 259 days)
Graeme Smith is one of the most successful captains of all time in Test cricket. He played 117 Tests and accumulated 9265 runs at an average of 48.26, with 38 fifties and 27 hundreds. He converted 5 of this centuries into double centuries.
South Africa hosted Bangladesh for a two-Test series in 2002. In the first Test at Buffalo Park, Graeme Smith exploded and scored 200 off 287 balls, accompanied by 25 fours. He built a 272-run partnership for the 2nd wicket with Gary Kirsten and lifted the hosts to 529-4 before declaring.
The South African bowlers ripped through the batting lineup and destroyed Bangladesh batsmen and the hosts won the game by an innings and 107 runs.
#4 Sir Garry Sobers (21 years 213 days)
Sir Garry Sobers is one of the greatest all-rounders of all-time. He represented the country in 93 Test matches and scored 8032 runs at a staggering average of 57.78. He also hit 26 centuries and 30 half-centuries.
He will be remembered forever for smashing his first Test century and converting it into a triple century by scoring an unbeaten 365. In the home series against Pakistan, West Indies won the second Test after the first ended in a draw and were leading, 1-0.
In the third Test, Conrad Hunte and Garry Sobers exploded for a 446-run second-wicket partnership to take West Indies to a huge total of 790-3 before declaring. Sir Garry Sobers remained unbeaten on 365 and the home team won the game by an innings and 174 runs.
#3 Vinod Kambli (21 years 32 days)
Vinod Kambli was unfortunate that he could not continue the kind of success he has enjoyed in the early part of his career. After making his debut in 1993 against England at the age of 21, he played in 17 Tests and scored 1084 runs at a very good average of 54.20.
In his second Test, he scored a brilliant double-century against the visiting England to give India a huge win. After England scored 347 in the first innings, it was Kambli who scored 224 off 411 to take India to a huge total of 591.
Anil Kumble then rattled through the batting lineup in England's second innings and India won the game by an innings and 15 runs.
#2 George Headley (20 years 308 days)
George Hadley is widely considered as one of the greatest West Indies cricketers of all-time. He played in 22 Test matches and accumulated 2190 runs at a breath-taking average of 60.83, with 10 centuries and 5 fifties.
He scored two double centuries and his first one came against England at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica. England scored a mammoth total of 849 in the first innings, on the back of Andrew Sandham's 325 and Leslie Ames' 149.
In the forth and the final innings, George Hadley played a match-saving knock scoring 223 of 385, accompanied by 28 fours. This was his first of the two double-centuries, both at Sabina Park. The game ended in a draw.
#1 Javed Miandad (19 years 140 days)
Javed Miandad is one of the most prolific run-scorers in Test cricket. In his 18-years stint, he appeared in 124 Test matches and amassed 8832 runs at an average of 52.57 with 23 hundreds and 43 fifties.
Miandad hit 6-double tons in Test cricket and is the youngest cricket to ever score a double-century. Pakistan hosted New Zealand for a three-Test series in 1976. After winning the first two Tests and clinching the series, the final Test in Karachi was a dead-rubber but that did not stop Miandad from scoring his maiden-double century.
Javed walked in at No.4 with the scoreboard reading 151-2 and then went on to score 206 runs before he got dismissed by Collinge. He built a 252-run partnership for the 4th wicket with Mushtaq Mohammad.
The match eventually ended in a draw and the hosts won the series, 2-0.
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