Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Monday said middle-order batsman Karun Nair's unbeaten 303-run knock against England reminded him of two-time triple-century-maker Virender Sehwag -- but he refused to compare them as the two played in different eras.
Nair became the second Indian batsmen to score a triple century in a Test innings after Sehwag. Nair completed his triple ton in the fourth day of the fifth Test against England at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Sehwag has scored two triple centuries, 319 against South Africa in Chennai in 2008 and 309 vs Pakistan in Multan in 2004.
"It was a terrific knock. It reminded me of Sehwag. But they cannot be compared as with Viru (Sehwag)'s was scored in a different era of cricket and when the team was in a different situation," Ganguly told reporters here.
"He is definitely going to be one of the more known faces in Team (Virat) Kohli," Ganguly said.
Asked if opener K.L. Rahul's score of 199 was overshadowed after Nair's historic feat, Ganguly compared it to Sachin Tendulkar's 194 scored in Multan which was also sent to the backburner after Sehwag smashed 309 off just 375 balls at a strike of 82.40 in 2004.
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"In Multan Sachin's 194 was also overshadowed because of Sehwag's blitz. It's nothing new in cricket," Ganguly added.
Nair, 25, became the third player in Test history, and the first Indian, to turn his maiden hundred into a triple century.
At stumps on Day 4, India declared their first innings for a mammoth 759/7 with Nair remaining unbeaten at 303, in response to England's score of 477. England were 12/0 in the second innings at the end of the day's play.
India have already won the series and are leading 3-0.
--IANS
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