IANS

Kolkata, Feb 18: Hashim Amla has become the first batsman ever to make 400 runs in a Test series between South Africa and India.

Amla, who was batting on 49 at stumps on the fourth day of the second Test against India, now aggregates 416 runs, including two hundreds. Mohammad Azharuddin had missed posting 400 runs in a Test series against South Africa, aggregating 388 in the three-Test series in 1996-97 in India, including two centuries and one fifty.

Amla (49) needs just one run to register five successive innings of 50 or more in Tests for the first time.

Other statistical highlights of the fourth day's play:

* Ishant Sharma's bowling average (188.00) and the strike rate (324.00) in the 2009-10 series are his worst ever in a Test series.

* After bowling 54 overs in the 2009-10 series, and having conceded 188 runs, Ishant could bag just one wicket.

* Amit Mishra's second innings bowling figures of 2 for 15 are his best against South Africa.

* Jacques Kallis became the fourth batsman to make 200 runs or more in the series and his aggregate of 203 is exceeded only by Amla (416), Virender Sehwag (290) and Sachin Tendulkar (213).