Rahul-Gill partnership laid foundation of Manchester draw for India and created history

When England took a lead of 311 runs in the first innings over India in Manchester, the chances of draw seemed bleak if not non existent. India losing two wickets in the first of their second innings made 'the non-existent' look brighter under gloomy skies at Old Trafford, but what transpired after that was history. India batted 142 overs more after the first one and secured the draw. After losing the first two wickets for no runs, India only lost two more wickets till the game ended. The innings saw three hundreds, one ninety and two 100+ partnerships - one stood out.

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With India at 0/2, Test skipper Shubman Gill joined KL Rahul at the crease and the duo added 188 runs for the third wicket. It is the highest partnership, not only for India but ever, from two down for naught. The previous record was also with India when Mohinder Amarnath and Gundappa Viswanath had added 105 runs from 0/2 against Australia in Melbourne back in 1977. The third partnership on the list goes to Stanley Jackson and Archie MacLaren of England - they had added unbeaten 102 runs against Australia back in 1902 at Lord's.

The partnership was broken when Rahul was dismissed for a 90 - in the process he took his runs tally past 500 (511) in the series which is the most for him in a series ever. The 90 was also Rahul's fourth 50+ score of the series to go with two hundreds. As for Gill, the skipper went on to score 103 - his fourth ton of the series. Gill is already past 700 runs in the series - 722 to be exact.

The partnership not only laid a platform for the batters to come but instilled the belief in the relatively inexperienced side that India can manage to achieve the task which looked monumental after the first over and two down for zero.