Statistical highlights at the end of first day's play in the third and final Test between India and Sri Lanka in Colombo on Friday.
# The 51-run stand between Gautam Gambhir and Sehwag is their 11th fifty-plus for the first wicket in Test cricket.
In partnership aggregates for the first wicket, the pair has amassed 1371 runs in 24 innings at an average of 59.20 the best by an Indian opening pair in Test cricket (minimum qualification: 1000 runs)
# Dravid's batting average (33.85) this year is the worst in his Test career, eclipsing his 35.64 in 2007. The only other year when his average fell below 40 -- was in 1996 -- his debut year.
# Sachin Tendulkar became the third player after two Australians, Steve Waugh (168) and Allan Border (156) to have appeared in 150 Tests or more.
# Sourav Ganguly (35) posted his highest score in the series, bettering his 23 at Colombo, SSC.
# After making 98 not out at Kandy in 2001, Ganguly is without a fifty in his last 10 innings against Sri Lanka.
# Ajantha Mendis has dismissed VVS Laxman in five successive innings in this series.
# Ajantha Mendis has bagged 23 wickets at an average of 17.26 runs. He is the highest wicket-taker in the series.
# Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma's 51 run partnership for the 10th wicket India's best against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka, outstripping 35 between Laxman and Ishant at Colombo, SSC in the first Test of the current series.
# For the first time in his Test career, Gautam Gambhir has registered three fifty-plus innings in a row - 56 & 74 in the second Test against Sri Lanka at Galle and 72 in the third Test at Colombo, PSS today.
# Gambhir's innings is the highest individual score by an Indian opener at Colombo, PSS, eclipsing Krish Srikkanth's 64 in 1985-86.
# Gambhir's aggregate of 284 at an average of 56.80 including three fifties is the second best after Sehwag's tally of 310.
# Gambhir's third fifty against Sri Lanka is his sixth in Test cricket.
# Virender Sehwag, with his 21, took his run-aggregate in 2008 to 968 in 8 Tests (14 innings) at an average of 74.46, including three hundreds and two fifties.
# Sehwag became the first batsman to reach 300 runs in the current rubber - 310 at an average of 77.50, including one century and one fifty.
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