Since cricket is one of the popular sports for decades, it sees a lot of records regularly. In a way, records define the sport and the players. The first test match was played between England and Australia in 1877, and it took nearly hundred years to see the evolution with an introduction of limited-overs game in 1971. Since then, cricket has transformed and created revolution across the masses with T20, fantasy cricket, and more.
Although players cannot intentionally play for records, they get a personal satisfaction to know some milestones are imprinted in their names. It signifies the player’s efforts and determination to achieve exceptional things for his/her country.
Cricket is a game of numbers. Here are some cricket records that are nearly impossible to break.
1. Captaining a national cricket team at the age of 50!
Dr. William Gilbert Grace captained England at the age of 50. He led his national side against Australia and became the oldest man to create a record. In a highly competitive cricketing arena, the modern-day cricketers cannot even think of playing the game in their later 30s and this man has got the opportunity to represent his country as a skipper at the age of 50. Interestingly the record was created in 1899 and it is nearly impossible if anyone will beat it.
2. Scoring consecutive half-centuries in three world cup finals
The wicket-keeper batsman Adam Gilchrist has represented Australia in three world cup finals in 1999, 2003, and 2007. First of all, it is an achievement in itself. However, he has another milestone in his name i.e., scoring three consecutive half-centuries in three world cup finals where Australia has won the title in all these instances.
Primarily reaching the finals for a team in a world cup in a hypercompetitive environment is very difficult because cricket is a team game and Australia has achieved it thrice consecutively. And Adam Gilchrist has maintained his outstanding form and class to create a new record which is hard to break.
3. Getting an international wicket without even bowling a delivery
India’s star batsman Virat Kohli holds a unique record of getting his first international wicket without even bowling a legal delivery. He dismissed England’s Kevin Pietersen with a wide ball in a T20I in 2011 to become the only bowler to take a wicket on ‘zeroth’ delivery in his cricket career. His bowling figures read 0.0-0-1-1 before he bowled a legitimate delivery. Currently, he is an IPL fantasy cricket star for Indians.
4. Three double-centuries in one-day internationals
If you check the history of cricket, there are only eleven batsmen and one batswoman who could score 200 runs in the ODI format. Interestingly, Indian cricket team’s captain Rohit Sharma is the only player who has achieved the massive feat thrice in his career.
He scored 209 against Australia in 2013, 264* against Sri Lanka in 2014, and 208* against Sri Lanka again in 2017.
5. 3-over century
Australia’s Sir Don Bradman is regarded as the greatest batsman of all-time. He scored a century in just 3 overs in a match between Lithgow and Blackheath in 1931. A single over consisted of 8 deliveries then and he scored 100 runs in just 18 minutes.
6. 21 consecutive maiden overs
Indian spinner Rameshchandra Gangaram Nadkarni popularly known as Bapu Nadkarni holds a unique record for bowling 21 consecutive maiden overs in a row. In his spell of 32 overs, he bowled 27 maidens and conceded just 5 runs against England in 1964 in a test match played at Madras (now Chennai).
Bapu Nadkarni played 41 tests for India between 1955 and 1968, and took 88 wickets and scored 1414 runs also.
7. Most International centuries
Sachin Tendulkar has inspired a generation in India by showcasing his passion for cricket. There was a time when all Indians, including the cricketers used to accept the fact that “if sachin gets out, India cannot win matches.”
The cricket legend played for India for 24 years and gave his heart and soul for the sport. Due to his pure dedication, Sachin achieved an almost unthinkable and unbreakable record and scored 100 centuries in 782 innings that he has played.
Currently, only Virat Kohli has a chance break this unique feat as he has scored a total of 75 centuries. However, it is still a long way to go.
Considered as the ‘God of Cricket,’ Sachin Tendulkar has another dubious record of getting out in the nineties 18 times in his career. It would have been 118 international centuries if he has converted all these nervous nineties scores!
8. 1300 international wickets
Widely regarded as the most successful and one of the greatest bowlers in the history of cricket, Sri Lanka’s legendary spinner Muttiah Muralitharan is averaging over six wickets per match. He has retired from international cricket with a total of 1347 wickets – 800 in tests, 534 in ODI, and 13 T20I wickets. Shane Warne sits next to him with 1001 scalps.
In a highly competitive cricket environment, it is almost impossible to break the most international wickets record as the bowlers are regularly tested on batting-friendly wickets these days. A member of the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame was a part of the Sri Lankan team that won the 1996 Cricket World Cup also.
9. Most consecutive Test series wins at home
We all know that the test match is the ultimate form of cricket. And knowing that India with 16 wins holds the record for most consecutive Test series wins on home soil from February 2013 till present gives an unexplainable excitement for an Indian cricket fan. Australia achieved the unique feat of registering 10 successive series wins at home twice, first between November 1994 to November 2000 and later from July 2004 to November 2008.
10. Most catches in Test matches
There is a misconception in the cricketing arena that Indians are not the best fielders on the field. But the false impression is diminishing now as there are several fielders in the Indian cricket team who can challenge any of the best fielders in the world now.
It was all started with Rahul Dravid taking 210 catches from 164 test matches, which is the most by any player in international cricket. He has taken the most catches at the slip cordon, which is considered as a tricky fielding position as it requires sharp reactions and safe hands. The point and the region around the batsman are also a difficult position to field.
Interestingly, there are no active players in the top 5 positions and hence, Rahul Dravid’s record is bound to stay for many years.