Has any side made more than Ireland's 492 in a Test and still lost by an innings?
Also: have any non-openers scored double-centuries in ODIs?
Ireland's 492 in the first innings in Galle last week did set a new mark for the highest total by a side that went on to lose a Test by an innings. Previously it was England's 477 against India in Chennai in 2016-17 - India piled up 759 for 7 before declaring, and bowled England out again for 207.
The instance you mention - by Don Bradman (185) against India (58 and 98) in Brisbane in 1947-48 - was the third time this had happened in Tests, and it has occurred only twice more since. The first instance was by England's Bobby Abel (120) against South Africa (47 and 43) in Cape Town in 1888-89. It was also achieved by another England opener, Len Hutton, with 364 against Australia (201 and 123) at The Oval in 1938, by Inzamam-ul-Haq (329) for Pakistan vs New Zealand (73 and 246) in Lahore in 2002, and Matthew Hayden (119) for Australia vs Pakistan (59 and 53) in Sharjah in 2002-03.
Rohit Sharma reached the milestone of 250 sixes in the IPL during Mumbai Indians' recent match against Punjab Kings at the Wankhede Stadium; Rahul Chahar was the bowler. That left him just one behind AB de Villiers, who managed 251. So Rohit should soon be second - but he'll still be an awfully long way behind the IPL's leading six-hitter, Chris Gayle, who cleared the boundary no fewer than 357 times. For the list, click here.
At the moment, West Indies' Shai Hope averages 60.74 when opening in ODIs - that's higher than anyone who has opened more than 20 times, although India's Shubman Gill currently averages 70.75 from exactly 20 innings.
First of all, you're correct that all 12 double-centuries in official one-day internationals (ten by men, two by women) were scored by openers. The best from another position is 194 not out, by Zimbabwe's Charles Coventry, who came in at No. 3 against Bangladesh in Bulawayo in 2009; the best in women's ODIs is 178 not out by another No. 3, Chamari Athapaththu, for Sri Lanka against Australia in Bristol during the 2017 World Cup. Oddly, both Coventry and Athapaththu finished on the losing side.
Steven Lynch is the editor of the updated edition of Wisden on the Ashes