Gambhir joins Gavaskar, Dravid

Kanpur, Nov 24 (IANS) Opener Gautam Gambhir Tuesday earned a rare distinction by becoming the third Indian batsman after Sunil Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid to score four consecutive Test centuries.

Gambhir scored 167 as India made 417 for two in the first innings against Sri Lanka at the end of first day's play in the second cricket Test here at the Green Park Stadium.

In the first Test in Ahmedabad, Gambhir had scored a match-saving 114 in the second innings. In the last Test series in New Zealand, he had scored 137 and 167 in Napier and Wellington.

Gambhir has been in terrific form this year and has also been adjudged by the International Cricket Council (ICC) as the Test player of the year. He has also scored seven hundreds in his last nine Tests.

The other statistical highlights of the day are:

Muttiah Muralitharan (18-0-100-2) has extended his record for conceding 100 runs or more in an innings 59 times.

For the first time, India (417) have made 400 or more in in a day's play, surpassing the 385 for six on the first day of the Ahmedabad Test.

Rahul Dravid (85 batting) has posted his best innings at Green Park - his third fifty at this venue -  the innings is his 58th Test fifty and his ninth against Sri Lanka.

Gautam Gambhir (167) has posted his highest innings at Green Park, surpassing the 96 off 151 balls in his only previous innings at this ground against South Africa in November 2004.

Sehwag has recorded eight hundreds each in India and overseas.  His 16th Test century is his second against Sri Lanka.

Sehwag's 131 off 122 balls is his first hundred in nine Tests under Mahendra Singh Dhoni's captaincy.

For the sixth time, both openers have posted hundreds in the same Test innings for India.

Gambhir and Sehwag were involved in a first wicket partnership of 233 - the first double century stand against Sri Lanka and the second best by any opening pair against Sri Lanka - the best being the 255 between Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden for Australia at Cairns in 2004.

Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir became the first pair to have been involved in two double century partnerships for the first wicket for India.