Jason Gillespie; Arvinda De Silva; Andy Ganteaume ... Karun Nair not exactly in that list

At Chittagong in 2006, Jason Gillespie  came an nightwatchman, remained unbeaten on  201, took 8 wickets and was man of the match – but that was his last Test match.   Before we read about a long list of similar batsmen, do you know anything about Test no. 296 played at Trinidad in Feb 1948 or the batsman, who has a better average that Don Bradman ?

At  Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Uppal, Hyderabad today, Indians were 356/3  having won the toss.  Cheteswar Pujara and Vijay, India's most prolific pair in Test cricket in the last decade, extended their dominance on Thursday with another century partnership, their fifth this home season and eighth overall.  KL Rahul was out cheaply.  Murali Vijay scored 108; Pujara 83.  Kohli 111 and Ajinkya Rahane 45 were at the crease. Cheteshwar Pujara broke the long-standing record on day one  beating previous Indian first-class season runs aggregate record of  Chandu Borde in 1964-65 scoring 1604 runs in 21 innings..

See this photo of Kohli leading ~ Pujara the last person – and is there something amiss !

Only recently, at Chepauk against Karun Nair was spoken everywhere.  At stumps he had made an  ordinary 71 off 136 balls; next day he went on to add  232 more in 245 balls.. the triple coming much faster as Kohli declared immediately on his reaching the great landmark.  Karun Nair got to his hundred in 185 balls. His double ton in 306 deliveries; and the third in 381 balls. To highlight his remarkable achievement even further, if it needs any added adulation, it is just his third Test match or his third Test inning to be more precise – and exactly a Test later, he is dropped and not in the Team !!!

In that test in Port of Spain in Feb 1948 – against England, Andy Ganteaume a wicket keeper made his debut, opened and scored a century and was to play only that solitary innings, not to be picked in Test team again. 

In 2002, at P Saravanamuttu Stadium, Arvinda de Silva made 206, Lankans won by an innings and 196.  De Silva was rested for the next test and that turned out to be his last test.  Ajay Ratra toured WI, made a gritty 115 not out in Antigua, becoming  the youngest wicketkeeper to score a Test century and the second Indian wicketkeeper to make one overseas. He was just 20 and it was only his third Test, but later the summer proved to be cruel as he lost his place in the Test side to Parthiv Patel, and in the one-day side to the appointment of Rahul Dravid as keeper in the quest for balance.

At Bangalore on Nov 1974, Hemant Kanitkar was to make his debut alongside Viv Richards and Gordon Greenidge.   Kanitkar made 65, which merited just another Test for him.

Karun Nair is not exactly in this exalted league, yet – to be not playing a Test after making a triple century is …. !!

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

9^th Feb 2017.