Brendon McCullum first captain to score double and triple hundred in consecutive Tests

New Zealand's 680 for 8 declared provides the highest ever total posted by a team in the third innings of a Test match in the annals of Test cricket. The previous best was 671 for 4 by New Zealand against Sri Lanka at Wellington in Jan 1991. Here are some of the other statistical highs that New Zealand team and its players achieved during the two-match series against India. (Read: Drawn Wellington Test helps India maintain No.2 ranking but Australia close in)

Brendon McCullum became the first captain in the annals of Test cricket to score a triple hundred and a double hundred in consecutive Tests. He made 224 at Auckland and 302 at Wellington in this series. (Read: After Test series loss to New Zealand, MS Dhoni content with bowlers)

McCullum aggregated 535 runs in this series which is the record for most runs scored by a captain in a two Test series. The previous record was 510 runs scored by Mahela Jayawardene of Sri Lanka against South Africa in 2005 series. McCullum and Jayawardene are the only two captains to aggregate 500 plus runs in a two Test series. (Virat Kohli rescues India in Wellington Test with ton)

McCullum with his 302 became the second batsman to score a triple hundred in the third innings of a Test match after Hanif Mohammad of Pakistan. Hanif had scored 337 in the third innings of the Bridgetown Test against West Indies in January 1958.

It took 56 years for another batsman to emulate the Pakistan legend to score a triple hundred in the third innings of a Test. McCullum was destined for this record as fellow New Zealander Martin Crowe had missed the feat by a whisker. He was dismissed for 299 against Sri Lanka at Welllington in January 1991. It was just ironical that McCullum achieved the feat at the same venue - Wellington.

McCullum's 302 in this Test provide the fifth occasion of a batsman scoring a triple hundred and a double hundred in a Test series.  

McCullum became the second captain to score a triple hundred and a double hundred in a Test series after Michael Clarke of Australia. It is interesting to note that both Clarke and McCullum have achieved their feat against India.

McCullum aggregated 535 runs in this series to become the sixth batsman in the annals of Test cricket to aggregate 500 plus runs in a two Test series, others being Sanath Jayasuriya (571 vs India - 1997), Wally Hammond (563 vs New Zealand - 1932-33), Andy Flower (540 vs India - 2000-01), Mahela Jayawardene (510 vs South Africa - 2006) and Matthew Hayden (501 vs Zimbabwe 2003-04).

Bradley-John Watling (124) and James Neesham (137*) scored hundreds to provide the first ever occasion of two batsmen scoring hundreds in the third innings of a Test.

New Zealand's innings contained three hundreds - McCullum (302), BJ Watling (124) and JDS Neesham (137*) - to provide the first occasion in the annals of Test cricket of batsman scoring a triple hundred in the third innings of a Test when three batsmen scored hundreds.

McCullum earned the distinction of becoming the eighth captain in the annals of Test cricket to score a triple hundred and the first captain to achieve the feat in the third innings of Test match.

McCullum and Watling added 352 runs for the sixth wicket to provide the highest sixth wicket partnership in the annals of Test cricket. The previous best was 351 runs between Mahela Jayawardene and Prasanna Jayawardene of Sri Lanka against India at Ahmedabad in Nov 2009. The 352-run stand is also the highest sixth wicket partnership in the third innings of a Test. The previous best was 346 runs between Don Bradman and Jack Fingleton of Australia against England at Melbourne in Jan 1937. Thus McCullum-Watling partnership rewrote a record that stood for 77 years-01 month-13 days.

Along with Watling, McCullum also added 179 runs with James Neesham for the seventh wicket in this Test to provide the first occasion of a team posting a triple hundred partnership when it has posted two three figure partnerships for successive sixth and seventh wickets in a Test innings. It also provides the very first occasion of a 300-plus runs partnership in the third innings of a Test under the captioned criteria.

The two partnerships aggregated 531 runs for the sixth and seventh wicket. This is the first occasion of a team posting 500 plus runs for the sixth and seventh wickets put together in Tests. The previous best was 355 runs by Sri Lankan batsmen against Bangladesh in January 2014.

(Stats courtesy HR Gopala Krishna)