Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], October 3 : Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja surpassed former captain MS Dhoni to become team's fourth-highest six-hitter in Test cricket.
The veteran achieved this upward movement in the charts during the first Test against West Indies at Ahmedabad. On day two, at the end of session two, he had made 50* in 81 balls, with three fours and four sixes. His runs came at a strike rate of over 61.
With these four sixes, all of them belted against Jomel Warrican, Jadeja's six tally went to 79 in 86 Tests, surpassing Dhoni's tally of 78 sixes in 90 Tests.
Above Jadeja are Rohit Sharma (88 sixes in 67 Tests), Virender Sehwag (90 sixes in 103 Tests) and Rishabh Pant (90 in 47 Tests).
This is Jadeja's seventh fifty-plus score this year in Tests, the most by any batter. In seven Tests and 13 innings this year, he has 605 runs at an average of 75.62, with a century and six fifties and a best score of 107*.
Jadeja is also 64 runs away from 4,000 Test runs, currently having 3,936 runs in 86 Tests and 129 innings at an average of 38.21, with five centuries and 28 fifties and a best score of 175*.
Before this Test, he was the fourth-highest run-getter in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England in the UK, scoring 516 runs in five matches and 10 innings at an average of 86.00, with a century and five fifties.
At the end of second session, India was 326/4, with Jurel (68*) and Jadeja (50*) unbeaten.
India started the second session at 218/3, with KL (100*) and Jurel (14*) unbeaten and the hosts leading by 56 runs.
Rahul could not add more to his tally, handing an easy catch to Justin Greaves at extra-cover, giving Jomel Warrican his wicket in the first over post-Lunch. India was 218/4, with the batter gone for a 197-ball 100, including 12 boundaries.
The Ravindra Jadeja-Jurel partnership started off aggressively, with the duo getting three sixes within a space of eight balls between the 71st and 72nd overs, with Jadeja running down the pitch to dispatch two sixes against Warrican over long-on and mid-on.
The duo continued securing boundaries against the spin duo of Warrican and Roston Chase, bringing up India's 250-run mark in 74.3 overs, with Jadeja once again running down the pitch and sending the ball to the ropes.
In the 76th over, India's lead exceeded 100 as a four from Jadeja and a maximum over long-on by Jurel helped them collect 11 runs against Chase. The duo brought up their fifty-run stand in just 77 balls.
Jurel survived a leg-before-wicket appeal against Jayden Seales and reached his second-half-century in 91 balls, with five fours and two sixes.
An elegant cut shot behind square by Jurel against Greaves took India to 300-run mark in 87 overs.
Jurel and Jadeja continued to score with intent, reaching their 100 partnership in 151 balls. Jadeja was toying with Warrican, having hit him for all his four sixes.
With a single off Warrican, Jadeja reached his 28th Test fifty in 75 balls, with three fours and four sixes. The duo ended the session without any wicket.
Brief Scores: India: 326/4 (KL Rahul 100, Dhruv Jurel 68*, Roston Chase 2/37) against WI: 162 (Justin Greaves 32, Shai Hope 26, Mohammed Siraj 4/40).
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