With the OG Rohit Sharma-Kohli couple stepping down, Pujara and Rahane being tossed out of the select group of a half-century, India's batting somewhat hangs in the balance going into the England tour. It won't be an easy prospect facing a quality English attack, but Zimbabwe's Brian Bennett set a precedent. The young opener hammered out the fastest century ever for Zimbabwe.
While all batsmen were crumbling, Bennett made himself the man of the hour at the Trent Bridge, going straight into the attack with the kind of disarming spirit really led to an English style of cricket. By tea, Zimbabwe had reached 210/5, with Bennett scoring a fiery 122 off 112 balls, smashing 24 boundaries.
At the age of just 21, Bennett is now the holder of the fastest century record for the Zimbabwe side; he reached his hundred in just 97 balls. Breaking the record set by 2016 Sohne-positively of Sean Williams, when he got to his hundred off 106 balls, Bennett is also the youngest-ever Zimbabwe opener to score a hundred away from home and the third youngest to do so in English conditions of a Test match.
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For India, Bennett's innings is a path to success in England. A relatively inexperienced Indian squad can find inspiration in the 19-year-old confronted with Ben Stokes and company.
Yashasvi Jaiswal walked a similar path in the home series against England. He'll want to carry that momentum from his historic batting display into the tour ahead.
