England's first innings against India in Rajkot marked the first time in almost 55 years they have made three centuries in an innings on the sub-continent
England's first innings against India in Rajkot marked the first time in almost 55 years they have made three centuries in an innings on the sub-continent.
After Moeen Ali moved from his overnight 99 to 117 and Ben Stokes hit 128 to add to Joe Root's 124, England piled up 537 to take control of the first Test of five.
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Indeed, it is the first time any England innings has contained three centuries since May 2011, against Sri Lanka in Cardiff where Ian Bell, Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott scored tons.
The last time England scored three centuries in an innings overseas was in the innings win over Australia in Sydney which rounded off the 2010-11 Ashes series win. Alastair Cook made 189, Ian Bell 115 and Matt Prior 118.
Both teams achieved the feat in England's fifth Test in the West Indies in 2009 — Strauss, Paul Collingwood and Prior for England before Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Brendan Nash responded.
But to find an England line-up making three centuries in Asia, you have to look all the way back to December 1961 in a drawn second Test against India in Kanpur.
India made 467 for eight declared, with Polly Umrigar 147 not out, and England were asked to follow on after being bowled out for 244 in reply as Subhash Gupte took five for 90.
England made a better fist of it second time around, though, with a second-wicket stand of 139 between Geoff Pullar and Ken Barrington, who made 119 and 172 respectively, before Barrington and Mike Smith added 206 for the fourth.
Smith finished 126 not out in the second of three successive draws before India won the final two Tests for a 2-0 series win.
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