Cricket is one game where milestones matter a lot. There are so many records out there for grabs and one just needs to get into an international squad to break them. Easier said than done, international records are constantly being reinvented and broken by some of the greatest players in the game and it is important to realise that there are certain records that are aspirational.
These milestones are the ones that are personal to so many players playing the game. By breaking these records, players are able to tick off a list of things that they have always wanted to achieve and thus, put themselves on a pedestal. Here is a list of the records that players have always wanted to break in the game of cricket:
Century at Lord’s:
A cricket ground considered so holy, that a century there is the ultimate way to pay homage. The Lord’s Cricket Ground is the Holy Mecca of cricket as it is the most important stadium in England. Some of the most iconic games in the history of the game have been played there and having your name on the honours board is always something players have wanted.
A century at Lord’s is a record that multiple players have tried to achieve but not done yet. The most telling of all names is Sachin Tendulkar who never scored a century in the ground. Any young or old batsman always knows how important it is to have your name in the board at Lord’s and it is one of the most important records in cricket.
Hitting six sixes in an over:
Only a handful of batsmen can stake claim to one of the more unique records in the game – hitting six sixes in an over. The most popular batsman to have achieved this feat is Yuvraj Singh of India and he was able to break this record in a World T20 event against England nevertheless.
There is just something brilliant about hitting six sixes in an over as it represents the highest form of power in the game. By hitting six sixes, you will write your name in history books considering the greatness of the record. Other batsmen to have achieved the feat are Herschelle Gibbs and Ravi Shastri.
Hitting the fastest century:
This is one record that is constantly being upgraded and improved upon. One of the first and most popular centurions to hold this record was Shahid Afridi of Pakistan. He plundered the South African bowlers back in 1996 when he hit a century off just 37 balls.
This record was surprisingly broken by Corey Anderson of New Zealand who did it one ball lesser but however even this did not stand the test of time as AB De Villiers of South Africa managed to bludgeon a century off just 31 balls in 2015 and still holds the record today.
Scoring a century against all Test playing nations:
Scoring an international century is an achievement that brings a lot of honour and happiness to batsmen across the world. By doing so, you are bettering your own record and helping your team put on a big total or chase one down.
However, one record that is dear to many players is scoring a century against all Test playing nations – either home or away. It is one record that is very hard to achieve as chances can sometimes come by once every three or four years only.
Scoring a century in all formats:
Ever since the T20 format has come into play,a few players have only managed to score a century in it. What’s even harder is scoring a century in T20 and the other two longer formats of the game.
Only two batsmen for India have ever achieved the feat – Suresh Raina and KL Rahul and it is something that needs to be appreciated. Batsmen need to really be strong at hitting the ball in the T20 format and only a handful of batsmen can proudly stake claim to such a rare feat.
By Rohit Nair
