New Delhi: Australia batter Matt Renshaw surpassed Virat Kohli's long-standing record for the most runs scored alongside tail-enders during a single Test innings, courtesy of a career-best knock of 190 against South Africa in Durban.
During his 397-ball stay at the crease, Renshaw accumulated 174 runs while batting alongside numbers eight through eleven. His resilient performance rescued Australia from a troubling score of 124 for six, ultimately pushing the team total to 390 all out on the second day of the Test match at Kingsmead.
Kohli had held the previous benchmark since December 2016, when he managed 171 runs with the lower order during his knock of 235 against England in Mumbai. Renshaw eclipsed that figure through a determined display that steadied the innings after early struggles from the top order.
After adding valuable runs alongside captain Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, the left-hander anchored a pivotal 134-run ninth-wicket partnership with Nathan Lyon, contributing 100 runs to that stand alone. He added another 21 runs with Josh Hazlewood before Simon Harmer finally removed him for 190, denying the batsman a maiden Test double century. His marathon innings featured 21 boundaries and a six, marking his first Test century in over nine years.
The milestone knock also established Renshaw as the highest-scoring Australian batter in a Test at Kingsmead, surpassing Phillip Hughes' 160 from 2009. Furthermore, it registered as the highest Test score at the venue by any player coming in at number five or lower, eclipsing Kusal Perera's unbeaten 153 in 2019.
Former Australia player Simon Katich praised Renshaw's methodology, noting that the squad had been searching for someone willing to dig in during tough moments. Australia eventually bowled a few overs before bad light halted play, leaving South Africa at 27 for one in response.