Agencies
Chennai, March 28:
A belligerent Virender Sehwag presided over a bowlers' bloodbath and blasted an unbeatean 309 as India responded emphatically to South Africa's massive first innings total in the first cricket Test on Friday. The dashing right-hander wielded his willow like a sword and cut the South African attack to ribbons during his 292-ball blitzkrieg that powered India to 468 for one at stumps on day three. Sehwag thus equalled his career best score of 309, also the highest Test score by an Indian, which he had recorded against Pakistan in the 2004 Multan Test.
India now trail the visitors by 72 runs and Sehwag and Rahul Dravid (65) will return on Saturday to first wipe out the arrears and then establish a lead.
It was Sehwag's second career triple century in the first Test against South Africa on Friday.
Sehwag finished unbeaten on 309 as India reached 468 for one in reply to South Africa's first innings 540 all out at the close on the third day.
The 29-year-old, who also made 309 against Pakistan at Multan in 2004, became only the third player to achieve the feat of two triple 100s, matching Australian Don Bradman and West Indies batsman Brian Lara.
It was the fastest triple hundred in Test cricket since the scorers began recording number of balls faced by a batsman.
Sehwag raced to 300 off 278 balls in the final session, surpassing Australian Matthew Hayden's 362-ball effort when he scored a then world record 380 against Zimbabwe at Perth in 2003-04.
The Indian batsman lashed 42 fours and five sixes to race to his triple hundred, nudging paceman Makhaya Ntini for a single to square-leg.
Sehwag, who batted for eight hours to reach the milestone, lifted his arms triumphantly and embraced partner Rahul Dravid as the South African fielders applauded and the Indian players and the rest of the spectators gave him a standing ovation.
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