Kolkata, Nov 15 (IANS) India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja added another feather to his already illustrious cap as he went past the 4000-run mark in Test cricket, becoming only the fourth cricketer in history to reach the feat in addition to picking 300 wickets in the red-ball format.

As he scored his 10th run during the opening Test against South Africa here at Eden Gardens, Jadeja went past 4,000 Test runs, joining the legendary Ian Botham, former India skipper Kapil Dev, and former Kiwi sensation Daniel Vettori in the elite list of players with 4000 runs and 300 wickets to their name in Test cricket.

While Botham finished his Test career with 5,200 runs and 383 scalps to his name, Kapil amassed 5,248 runs and picked up 434 wickets in 131 matches. Vettori, meanwhile, finished his red-ball career with 4,531 runs in 113 matches in addition to 362 wickets.

As India faced South Africa in the first of their two-match Test series, Jadeja stepped out to bat on Day 2 and was just 10 runs away from reaching a milestone. He completed his 10th run in the 44th over of India’s first innings, and with that, became the second-fastest cricketer to reach the feat, as it took him 87 Tests to attain the milestone – the second quickest among the four, behind Botham’s 72.

Notably, Jadeja’s run tally in the format includes six centuries and 27 half-centuries, while he boasts 331 wickets at an average of 25.25, including 15 five-wicket hauls with the ball.

Earlier in the day, KL Rahul also surpassed the 4000-run mark, becoming the 18th Indian to achieve this feat. It took him 3,977 days since his debut to reach 4000 Test runs, making him only the second after Mohinder Amarnath (6,214 days) to take longer among the 18 Indian batters to attain the milestone.

Rahul was eventually dismissed on the penultimate ball of the 40th over, scoring 39 runs off the 119 deliveries he faced.

India’s Test returnee, Rishabh Pant, also reached a notable milestone by surpassing former legendary batter Virender Sehwag to now hold the record for the most sixes in Tests for India, with a total of 91. Pant achieved the feat in the 38th over when he smoked Keshav Maharaj for the maximum over mid-off.

India finished their first session at 138/4, reducing the Proteas’ lead to 21 runs.

–IANS

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