Did you know Virat Kohli is just the worst in ODIs?
You wouldn't pick him based on these numbers
Steven Lynch
25-Sep-2018
In Brian Lara and Jimmy Adams' 322-run stand in Kingston in 1998-99 against Australia, Adams contributed 94 and Lara 213 • PA Photos/Getty Images
Does Virat Kohli have the worst average for anyone who has bowled more than 100 overs in ODIs? asked Sanket Amdalli from India
Virat Kohli has so far taken four wickets in one-day internationals, for an average of 166.25. That is indeed the highest average for anyone who has bowled more than 100 overs: next comes an Indian captain of a much earlier vintage, S Venkataraghavan, whose five ODI wickets cost him 108.40 apiece. Pommie Mbangwa of Zimbabwe (11 wickets at 103.63) also ended up with a three-figure average.
Virat Kohli has so far taken four wickets in one-day internationals, for an average of 166.25. That is indeed the highest average for anyone who has bowled more than 100 overs: next comes an Indian captain of a much earlier vintage, S Venkataraghavan, whose five ODI wickets cost him 108.40 apiece. Pommie Mbangwa of Zimbabwe (11 wickets at 103.63) also ended up with a three-figure average.
However, if you remove the 100-over qualification, there are ten bowlers with worse averages than Kohli. Top of the pile is the Australian slow left-armer Brad Young, who took one wicket (Moin Khan of Pakistan in Peshawar in 1998-99) in six matches for an average of 251.00. Next come Kyle Coetzer of Scotland (203.00), the New Zealander Andrew Penn (201.00), and India's Yashpal Sharma (199.00).
It has to be said that all Kohli's victims were proper batsmen - Alastair Cook and Craig Kieswetter of England, South Africa's Quinton de Kock, and Brendon McCullum of New Zealand - so maybe he should bring himself on more often!
India's second innings at The Oval contained two partnerships of more than 100, but no others above ten. Was this a first for Tests? asked Kevin Lawrence from England
During India's rearguard in the recent fifth Test at The Oval, KL Rahul put on 118 for the fourth wicket with Ajinkya Rahane, and 204 for the sixth with Rishabh Pant. The next-best was nine, for the ninth wicket. It seemed likely that this was the first such occurrence in Test cricket - but that's always an unwise thing to assume. And in fact it has happened once before: in the first Ashes Test at Trent Bridge in 1953, Lindsay Hassett put on 122 for Australia's second wicket with Arthur Morris, and 109 for the fourth with Keith Miller - but the next-best stand was just seven.
During India's rearguard in the recent fifth Test at The Oval, KL Rahul put on 118 for the fourth wicket with Ajinkya Rahane, and 204 for the sixth with Rishabh Pant. The next-best was nine, for the ninth wicket. It seemed likely that this was the first such occurrence in Test cricket - but that's always an unwise thing to assume. And in fact it has happened once before: in the first Ashes Test at Trent Bridge in 1953, Lindsay Hassett put on 122 for Australia's second wicket with Arthur Morris, and 109 for the fourth with Keith Miller - but the next-best stand was just seven.
Has there been a 300 partnership in Test matches in which one of the players did not reach an individual century? asked Ashok Iyengar via Facebook
Rather surprisingly perhaps there have been three such instances in Tests, from a total of 97 partnerships of 300 or more. The highest stand involved was one of 322, for West Indies' fifth wicket against Australia in Kingston in 1998-99, when Jimmy Adams made 94 while Brian Lara was hammering a superb 213.
Rather surprisingly perhaps there have been three such instances in Tests, from a total of 97 partnerships of 300 or more. The highest stand involved was one of 322, for West Indies' fifth wicket against Australia in Kingston in 1998-99, when Jimmy Adams made 94 while Brian Lara was hammering a superb 213.
In the course of his 257 not out for Pakistan against Zimbabwe in Sheikhupura in 1996-97 - the highest score by a No. 8 in any Test - Wasim Akram put on 313 for the eighth wicket with Saqlain Mushtaq, who finished with 79. And when Viv Richards and Alvin Kallicharran added 303 for West Indies' third wicket against England at Trent Bridge in 1976, Kalli's share was 97, while Viv sauntered to 232.
Abu Hider took a wicket with his fourth ball in ODIs. Has anyone managed one with their first ball? asked Rafsan Niaz from Bangladesh
The Bangladesh left-arm seamer Abu Hider dismissed Afghanistan's Rahmat Shah with the fourth delivery of his ODI debut, during the Asia Cup in Abu Dhabi. But quite a few bowlers have done better than this: in fact no fewer than 25 men have struck with their first ball in ODIs.
The Bangladesh left-arm seamer Abu Hider dismissed Afghanistan's Rahmat Shah with the fourth delivery of his ODI debut, during the Asia Cup in Abu Dhabi. But quite a few bowlers have done better than this: in fact no fewer than 25 men have struck with their first ball in ODIs.
The first one to do it was England's Geoff Arnold, against Australia at Old Trafford in 1972. The most recent addition to the list is the West Indian Keemo Paul, against Afghanistan during the World Cup Qualifier in Harare in March 2018.
Has there ever been an ODI in which two bowlers from the same side took five wickets? asked Sathya Thukkuram from India
This has happened just once in one-day internationals, more than 40 years ago now - and the destroyers were a rather unlikely pair. Against England at Edgbaston in 1977, Australia's captain Greg Chappell took 5 for 20, while Gary Cosier - a bowler of even more gentle medium-pace - claimed 5 for 18 as England struggled to 171. It didn't do the Aussies much good, as they crumbled for 70, with England's four seamers sharing all the wickets.
This has happened just once in one-day internationals, more than 40 years ago now - and the destroyers were a rather unlikely pair. Against England at Edgbaston in 1977, Australia's captain Greg Chappell took 5 for 20, while Gary Cosier - a bowler of even more gentle medium-pace - claimed 5 for 18 as England struggled to 171. It didn't do the Aussies much good, as they crumbled for 70, with England's four seamers sharing all the wickets.
For obvious reasons, this feat is much more common in Tests. It's happened 52 times now, most recently when Shahadat Hossain took 5 for 71 and Shakib Al Hasan 5 for 62 for Bangladesh against India in Chittagong in 2009-10.
There have been no instances yet in T20Is. Darren Sammy (5 for 26) and Sulieman Benn (4 for 6) shared nine wickets for West Indies against Zimbabwe in Port-of-Spain in 2009-10.
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Steven Lynch is the editor of the updated edition of Wisden on the Ashes