Shikhar Dhawan’s domination- A statistical preview

Shikhar Dhawan almost entered the record books for wrong reasons. He could have become the only batsman in the history of 136 years to become the first batsman to record a diamond duck (getting out without facing a delivery). Instead Dhawan batted with élan and smashed the Australian bowling with his array of glittering strokes. The cut, the pull, the backfoot punch, the exquisite cover-drive, sweep and reverse-sweep, every shot was executed with supreme confidence. Dhawan became India’s first opener to score a century in Test cricket and overall 30^th player to achieve this rare feat.

File Photo of Shikhar Dhawan.

Here’s a list of openers who scored hundreds on their debut.#- indicates left-handed batsman.

Dhawan could have become the sixth batsman to score a double hundred on his debut and the second opener after Sri Lanka’s Brendon Kuruppu to achieve this incredible achievement. But he missed the feat by 13 runs. Dhawan’s 187 is the sixth best score on debut.

Other miscellaneous statistics:

1) 15th player to score hundred on debut aged 27.2) 32^nd hundred in the second innings, on debut.3) 61^st occasion when a player has scored a hundred on his home soil. 14^th occasion when India has witnessed a century by a debutant.