Bone-weary Brendon McCullum rewrites record books
New Zealand skipper plays through pain barrier in an almost 12-hour session to rack up 281 runs
An exhausted Brendon McCullum fought through pain in an epic record-breaking innings that rescued New Zealand from near-certain defeat yesterday and set them up for a series-saving result against India.
"It's been a great day," McCullum said as he walked off, unbeaten on 281 after posting a raft of records and steering New Zealand into a safe position in the second test.
"I'm a little bit tired, the body is a bit sore, but when you're scoring runs your body doesn't hurt so much."
The last hour was a bit of a daze in all honesty and I was just trying to get through ... I was just hanging in there, if I'm brutally honest
The hosts began their second innings 246 behind India and were staring down the barrel of defeat at 94 for five. But they ended day four on 571-6, 325 runs ahead and with four wickets in hand.
McCullum was 19 runs away from being the first New Zealander to reach 300, with the record currently held by Martin Crowe's 299 against Sri Lanka on the same ground in 1991.
Battling back, leg and shoulder injuries, the 32-year-old McCullum has been in the middle for nearly 12 hours and was exhausted as he entered the dressing room.
"The last hour was a bit of a daze in all honesty and I was just trying to get through. Thankfully Neesh [Jimmy Neesham] was playing some shots and ticking the board over because I was just hanging in there, if I'm brutally honest."