Statistical highlights, Day 1

India vs Zimbabwe, 1st Test, Day 1: Report | Images | Scorecard

·         Terry Duffin and Charles Coventry were making their debut. They became 72nd and 73rd player to represent Zimbabwe in Test cricket. Coventry's father had been an international umpire and officiated in 5 One-Day Internationals from 2000-01 to 2001-02.
 
·         Sourav Ganguly was leading India for the 48th time in a Test match. He has now led India in more Tests than any other player. Ganguly was earlier at level with Sunil Gavaskar and Mohammad Azharuddin with 47 Tests. For the record, Ganguly has won 19, lost 13 while 15 have been drawn. Gavaskar won nine, lost eight and drew 30 of his 47 Tests while Mohammad Azharuddin's figures read: 14 wins and 14 losses, with 19 draws.
 
·         This was the 27th time Ganguly was leading India in a Test on foreign soil. With this he equalled Mohammad Azharuddin's record of leading India in most away matches. Interestingly Azharuddin had only one win (and 10 losses) to his credit in 27 Tests as captain. Ganguly, on the other hand, has nine wins (and 10 losses) on his name in his 26 Tests prior to this Test.
 
·         Duffin became the fifth Zimbabwean batsman to score a fifty in his debut innings after Dave Houghton (121), Grant Flower (82), Andy Flower (59) - versus India at Harare in 1992-93) and S Matsikenyeri (57 v West Indies at Harare in 2003-04).
 
·         Rahul Dravid's catch of Streak was his 40th of the bowling of Anil Kumble. The Kumble-Dravid combination is now the third most successful bowler-fielder combination in Test cricket, moving ahead of West Indian pair of Lance Gibbs and Gary Sobers. The following table lists the most successful bowler-fielder combinations in Test cricket: 

·         The fifth wicket partnership of 69 runs between Tatenda Taibu and Heath Streak is Zimbabwe's best for this wicket against India on Zimbabwean soil expunging the 53-run partnership between Dave Houghton and Andy Pycroft at Harare in 1992-93.
 
·         The eighth-wicket unbroken partnership of 55 runs between Tatenda Taibu and Keith Dabengwa is Zimbabwe's best for this wicket against India -- home or away. The pair obliterated the 46-run partnership between Andy Flower and Brian Murphy at Delhi in 2000-01.
 
·         The 20 extras conceded so far by Indian bowlers equal their worst performance against Zimbabwe. In the first innings of Harare Test in 1998-99 series India had also conceded this many no-balls. Overall it was the fifth time India were conceding 20 or more no-balls in an innings.