The Thunder DownUnder

The just concluded 4 Test Match Cricket series between hosts Australia and India was remarkable on several fronts and demands some serious debate. If you are a cricket statistician or are remotely interested in the Number Games, this series was much above being called "Astounding". It was neither "Brilliant" nor "One-sided" but definitely something to remember for a long time to come. There were remarkable changes to both the Australian and Indian cricket, both for good and bad. The Cricket was at its mysterious best, if not near its performance peak, and not even once there was any foregone conclusion to be made. The events, both on and off the fields, ensured that the Cricket World was never in a position to take their eyes and ears away from this series.

Here are some of the statistical wonders from that series.

1. 5879 The total number of runs scored in the series, by both the teams. This is the highest number in terms of total number of runs scored in any series of 4 or lesser Test matches. The second-most runs (5651) also came in a series between India and Australia, the 2003-04 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
2. There has been only one instance of two batsmen scoring four or more hundreds in a single Test series. Virat Kohli and Steven Smith created history when they scored four hundreds each during the 2014/15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy played in Australia.
3. 769 Runs scored by Steven Smith in this series, the most ever in a series of four or fewer matches. There have been two instances of batsmen scoring more runs when they have played only four matches in a five-match series - Sunil Gavaskar (774, versus West Indies, 1971) and Viv Richards (829, versus England, 1976).
4. 692 Runs scored by Virat Kohli this series, the most by an Indian batsman in Australia and the third-most by an Indian batsman in any series. Sunil Gavaskar aggregated 700-plus in a series on two occasions, in 1971 and 1978-79, both times against West Indies.
5. 482 Runs scored by M Vijay this series, the most by an Indian opener in Australia and the third-most by an Indian opener in any away series. Gavaskar has aggregated more on two occasions: 542 against England in 1979 and 774 against West Indies in 1971.
6. 8 Number of times that the teams have posted a 400-plus score during this series, the most ever in a Test series. There have been seven previous instances of teams making seven 400-plus scores in a series.
7. 0 Number of previous instances where both teams have gone past 400 in the first innings of each Test in a series of three or more Tests. Both Australia and India have each posted 400-plus scores in the first innings of every Test this series, with Australia going past 500 on each occasion.
8. 6 Number of consecutive 50-plus scores for Chris Rogers, the most by an Australian. Eight other Australian batsmen have made six 50-plus scores as well - Jack Ryder, Doug Walters, Greg Chappell, Allan Border, Mark Taylor, Michael Hussey, Phil Jaques and David Warner. 
9. 15 Umesh Yadav's economy rate during Australia's second innings, the worst in Tests for a player who has bowled three or more overs in an innings. He returned figures of 0 for 45 from three overs.
10. 24 Number of instances this series of a bowler conceding 100-plus runs in innings, the most ever in a Test series. Nathan Lyon has six such innings, the most, while Ashwin has four.