Statistical highlights: Day 1, Ind Vs Aus

Melbourne: Statistical highlights on day one of the first cricket Test between India and Australia at MCG on Monday.

In Pics: Boxing Day Test: Day 1 • The 113-run stand between Ricky Ponting and Ed Cowan is Australia`s second highest for the third wicket against India at the MCG. The best is 169 between Don Bradman and Lindsay Hassett in 1947-48 • Zaheer Khan, with Michael Clarke`s wicket, has completed 600 wickets in first-class cricket - 601 at an average of 27.37 in 147 games. • Michael Hussey has posted two successive innings without scoring for the first time in Tests. At Hobart against New Zealand, he had posted a duck. • Hussey has registered 12 ducks in Tests - his second against India. • Hussey has recorded three ducks this year. In 2008, he had registered four - the most by him in a calendar year. • Peter Siddle (34 not out off 80 balls) has recorded his best knock against India. • Siddle`s aggregate of 179 at an average of 17.90 in seven Tests this year is his highest in a calendar year in Tests. • Brad Haddin and Siddle have shared a stand of 63 (unbroken) for the seventh wicket, Australia`s second highest against India at MCG behind the 66 between Greg Matthews and Ray Bright in 1985-86. • Shaun Marsh has recorded his second duck – in successive innings. In the Cape Town Test (second innings) against South Africa, he had posted a duck. • Ed Cowan is the 427th player to appear for Australia in Tests. • Ed Cowan (68) became the second Australian player to make a half-century on Test debut against India at MCG. Sam Loxton had played an excellent knock of 80 in 1947-48. • Cowan`s magnificent innings is the fourth highest by an Australian opener on Test debut during the last 30 years – the best innings being 162 by Kepler Wessels against England at Brisbane in November 1982. • Ricky Ponting (62 off 94 balls) has managed his 10th fifty against India - his 59th in Tests. • Ponting is the first Australian player to register 10 fifties against India. Three other batsmen have recorded 10 fifties or more in India-Australia Tests - Sachin Tendulkar (13), Rahul Dravid (12) and VVS Laxman (11). • Ponting and Dravid now jointly share the second place with 98 fifty-plus innings in Tests. Sachin Tendulkar holds a record, having registered 114 innings of fifty or more – 51 centuries plus 63 fifties. • Ponting has aggregated 445 runs at an average of 89.00, including one double century and two half-centuries at MCG - the highest by an Australian batsman against India at MCG. • Ponting has taken his runs` tally to 1278 (ave.58.09) in 15 Tests at Melbourne Cricket Ground - the third highest aggregate at MCG, next only to Don Bradmman – 1671 (ave.128.53) in 11 Tests and Steve Waugh - 1284 (ave. 53.50) in 17 Tests. PTI