MAHI MAYHEM

 

Image Credit- ESPN CricInfo.

Venue- Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur [October 31, 2005].

In the winters of 2005, the Sri Lankan Cricket Team toured India to play 7 ODIs and 3 Test Matches. The hosts won the first two ODIs comfortably, and the action for the third ODI reached the pink city, Jaipur. In a must-win game, Sri Lankan Captain Marvan Atapattu won the toss and decided to bat first. The decision turned out to be a good one, as the visitors posted a massive total of 298 in their 50 overs. Kumar Sangakkara was the leading run scorer for the Sri Lankans as he scored an unbeaten 138 off 147 deliveries. Apart from him, Mahela Jayawardene scored a quick 71 as the Indian bowlers struggled for wickets. 

The Sri Lankans had a belief that they could win this game because they posted a decent score, and they had a lethal bowling line-up. Moreover, they dismissed the legendary Sachin Tendulkar in the very first over itself, which gave them tremendous confidence. However, what happened next was something truly unbelievable. We saw a brand of cricket that was never witnessed before as MS Dhoni came all gun's blazing from very beginning. 

MS played one of the most destructive knocks in the history of one-day cricket as he scored an unbeaten 183 off just 145 deliveries. His innings comprised 15 boundaries and 10 massive sixes. The power with which he was smashing the ball was truly incredible. He literally made a mess of the lethal Sri Lankan bowling lineup. Due to his incredible knock, we chased down 299 in just 46.1 overs with 6 wickets in hand. It was Mahi Mayhem in Jaipur. 

To be honest, if there would have been more runs on the board, MS would have definitely got his double hundred. However, one thing was sure: the Indians have unearthed a superstar. Two decades later, that Young Superstar got inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. Not bad for a Long-Haired wicketkeeper batsman from Ranchi. 

 

To watch the Highlights of that Match, Click Here. 

THE FIGHTBACK

                       

Image Credit- ESPN CricInfo.

Venue- Trent Bridge, Nottingham [August 8-12, 2002].

In the summer of 2002, the Indian cricket team toured England to play a triangular ODI series with England and Sri Lanka. After this, they played a 4-match test series against the hosts, England. Hence, it was a big tour that started in the month of June and ended in the second week of September. Indians, however, were successful in winning the triangular series in the most dramatic of manners. Nonetheless, the English made a strong comeback in the test series as they hammered us with a margin of 170 runs in the first test.

The action for the second test shifted to Trent Bridge, wherein we were on a back foot because of what happened to us in London. In a do-or-die game, Indian Captain Sourav Ganguly won the toss and elected to bat first. Riding on Sehwag's gritty 108, we ended up scoring 357 in our first innings. Apart from Sehwag, Captain Ganguly (68) and Harbhajan Singh (54) made valuable contributions with the bat as English bowlers chipped wickets at regular intervals. 

In response, the English posted a massive 617 in their first innings. The same was possible because of the heroics of Michael Vaughan, who missed a well-deserved double century. Vaughan scored a gritty 197 of 258 deliveries. Furthermore, every English batsman contributed with the bat as the visitors struggled to take wickets. 

It was now almost certain that we cannot win this test. The question that arose now was, can we save this match? Unfortunately, we lost both our openers cheaply as the Indians were reduced to 11/2. The match was on a knife-edge when Sachin Tendulkar joined Rahul Dravid in between. The duo stitched a partnership of 163 runs and brought the visitors back into the game. This was then followed by another 135-run stand between Dravid and Ganguly as we took a crucial lead in the second innings. Amidst such a pressure situation, Rahul Dravid scored a well-composed 115 as we saved the test match. Apart from Dravid, Tendulkar (92) and Ganguly (99) too contributed in this pressure situation. It was quite unlucky on their part that they missed their centuries. However, the fightback of Team India won everyone's heart. The Indians eventually declared a score of 424/8 as the match ended in a draw. 

To watch the knock of Sehwag, Click Here.

To watch the knock of Rahul Dravid, Click Here.

To watch the knock of Sachin Tendulkar, Click Here. 

THE HEROICS OF JASON GILLESPIE

 

Image Credit- Times of India.

Venue- Chittagong Divisional Stadium, Chittagong, Bangladesh [April 16-20, 2006].

Whenever we hear the name Jason Gillespie, the first thing that comes to mind is a tall, long-haired fast bowler always eyeing wickets and threatening the opposition. However, this post is not about his bowling heroics but about his exceptional batting performance. In the summer of 2006, the Australian cricket team toured Bangladesh to play 2 tests and 3 ODIs. The Visitors won the first test by the barest of margins as the Bangla Tigers gave them a very strong fight. As a result, when both teams reached Chittagong for the final test, no one was expecting it to be an easy game.

In a must-win game, the Bangladeshi captain won the toss and elected to bat first. Unfortunately, they could not get the best out of the conditions, as they were bowled out for just 197 in their first innings. In response, the Aussies declared at a mammoth score of 581/4. However, what is interesting in it is their highest run-getter in that inning. It's not their Captain Ponting or Hayden or Hussey. But it was their night watchman, Jason Gillespie, who scored the highest among all of them. Dizzy was at his ultimate best in Chittagong as he scored an unbeaten 201 of 425 deliveries. Furthermore, his innings comprised 26 boundaries and 6 sixes. The man who came in as a night watchman ended up being invincible. Apart from him, Mike Hussey scored a quickfire 182 as the Aussies took the game under control.

It was almost certain that the match was nearly over for the hosts. However, they did give a fightback in the second innings but failed to save the test. The Bangladeshis in their second innings were bowled out for 304 runs as the Aussies won the game by an innings and 80 runs. For his all-around performance, Jason Gillespie was awarded the man of the match award. Unfortunately, it turned out to be his last test in Baggy Green. 

To watch the highlights of that innings, Click Here.

THE CHASE MASTER

 

Image Credit- ESPN CricInfo.

Venue- Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai [February 23, 2025].

The India-Pakistan rivalry is the biggest rivalry in world cricket. The stakes get even bigger when they meet in an ICC event. 23rd February, 2025, added one more chapter to the great battle between the two nations of the Radcliffe Line. The Indians won their first game against Bangladesh, whereas the Pakistanis were hammered in their backyard by the Kiwis. As a result, a win for India would have meant a semi-final berth, whereas for the Pakistanis, a defeat would have implied a knockout from the tournament. Amidst such a tense situation, Pakistani Captain Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and decided to bat first. 

The openers gave Men in Green a decent start. However, 2 quick wickets in between pushed them to the back foot. Furthermore, the Pakistanis were under extreme pressure because of tight fielding and disciplined bowling. It is interesting to note that the Pakistani batters at one stage became so defensive that it appeared that they were saving a test match and not setting a target. Apart from that, the Indians kept on picking wickets at regular intervals, due to which the hosts struggled to accelerate. Eventually they were bowled out for 241 runs in 49.4 overs. Saud Shakeel was their leading run scorer, who scored 62 of 76 deliveries. Except for him, no other Pakistani batsman managed to cross the 50-run mark. For Indians, Kuldeep Yadav was the leading wicket taker as he picked up 3 important wickets. 

In response, the Indians got off to a flyer before Shaheen Afridi dismissed Captain Rohit Sharma for 20. The Indian scorecard read 31/1 when Virat Kohli joined Shubhman Gill in between. The duo stitched a partnership of 69 runs before Abrar got the better of Gill. However, Abrar's celebration post Gill's dismissal added spice to the contest. The match was on a knife-edge when Iyer joined Kohli in between. However, that day Kohli looked unstoppable. The elegance with which he was playing was simply a delight to watch. In an unbeaten innings that lasted for 151 minutes, Kohli scored 100* off 111 balls. His innings comprised 7 boundaries. The cover drives were simply wow. However, it is interesting to note that despite having so many shots under his belt, Kohli constantly rotated strike and kept the scoreboard ticking with ones and twos. Kohli was truly at his ultimate best. 

The match was won with 45 balls remaining and 6 wickets in hand. With this win, Indians made their way into yet another ICC Semi-Final, whereas the Pakistanis were knocked out of the Champions Trophy. Virat Kohli was awarded the Man of the Match award for his excellent hundred as the legend of Chase master continued. Lastly, the ghosts of 2017 were well and truly buried now. 

KING KOHLI SPECIAL

 

Image Credit- ESPN CricInfo.

Venue- Centurion Park, Centurion [January 13-17, 2018].

South Africa is one of the hardest places to play test cricket. The swing, the pace, and the uneven bounce makes it tough for any batsman to score runs. Furthermore, the pace attack of the Proteas makes it even tougher to survive. As a result, if one scores a ton in South Africa it is remembered for long. In this blog post I will be talking about one such test ton.

In the summer of 2018, the Indian cricket team toured South Africa to play 3 Tests, 6 ODIs, and 3 T20 Internationals. The hosts won the first test at Cape Town, and the action now reached Centurion. In a must-win game, South African captain Faf du Plessis won the toss and elected to bat first. Riding on the half-centuries of Markram, Amla, and du Plessis, the hosts ended up scoring 335 in their first innings. 

In response, the Indian batting line-up struggled in front of the Proteas' pace attack. It appeared they would be bundled in no time. However, this is when Kohli led from the front and countered the pace attack with his flair and class. In one of the toughest situations, he scored a magnificent 153 and brought his team back into the game. Kohli was literally at his absolute best that day. The shots he played were a treat to our eyes. It was simply superb. The timing, the placement, everything in it was incredible. Due to Kohli's heroics, Indians ended up scoring 307 in their first innings. Just 28 runs for the Proteas total. The game was truly on a knife-edge. 

However, this is when the Proteas came back harder. The legendary ABD scored a gritty half-century (80) as the Proteas scored a fighting total of 258 in their second innings. Apart from De Villiers, Dean Elgar and Captain Faf Du Plessis also made valuable contributions, as Indians now needed 287 runs to win the test and level the series. 

Unfortunately, the Indians failed miserably in the second innings as we lost both the test and the series. However, despite the setback, this knock of Kohli will be remembered for ages.  It was truly a masterclass. It is further interesting to note that in the entire series, there was only one batsman who scored a century, and he was none other than Virat Kohli. 

To watch the knock of Virat Kohli, Click Here. 

HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN

 Image Credit- ESPN CricInfo.

Venue- The Gabba, Brisbane [December 14-18, 2024].

In the Australian summer of 2024-25, the Indian cricket team toured Australia to play 5 test matches. The Visitors won the first test in Perth, whereas the Hosts won the second test at Adelaide. With the series poised at 1-1, both teams reached Brisbane for an important test match. Seeing the clouds all around, Indian Captain Rohit Sharma, after winning the toss, decided to field first. Interestingly, India got a wonderful start as they reduced Australians to 75/3. Bumrah was truly in the form of his life as he picked up both the openers, with Nitish picking up the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne. It seemed that India would tighten up the screws now. However, this is when Steve Smith and Travis Head came into action. The duo took the sting out of the Indian bowling as they piled runs after runs. Steve Smith scored a gritty 101 off 190 balls, whereas Travis Head scored a quickfire 152 off 160 deliveries as the Aussies ended up scoring 445 in their first innings. For Indians, it was Jasprit Bumrah who was the leading wicket taker as he picked up 6 crucial wickets. 

In response, the Indians were reeling at 74/5 when Jadeja joined KL Rahul in between. The duo batted sensibly and tried their best to avoid the follow-on. However, the Aussies continued picking up wickets at regular intervals. Jadeja, on his end, tried his best, but eventually Cummins got the better of him, as when Jadeja was dismissed, the Indian scorecard read 213/9. Still 33 runs short of the follow-on total. The last batsman, Akash Deep, joined Bumrah in between as the Aussies were gearing up. It appeared that a follow-on was surely in the cards, as the Aussie bowlers were in red-hot form. However, what happened next was something truly unbelievable. Both Bumrah and Akash Deep stood in between like a rock and avoided the follow-on in the most dramatic of manners. Furthermore, after avoiding the follow-on, Akash Deep hit a massive six, which brought joy to every fan's face. At last, it was Travis Head who got the better of Akash Deep as the Indians ended up scoring 260 in their first innings.

Due to continuous rains in between, it was almost certain that the match would end in a draw. Though there were moments when we felt that we could get a result, the rain made sure that the match ended in a draw. However, the question that might come into everyone's mind is this: When the match ended in a draw, why am I saying that the mighty have fallen? The reason being when the follow-on was avoided, there was a loud cheer in the Indian dugout. The players and the support staff literally went into a celebration mode as if we had won the test. Something that is not expected of a champion team. From winning in Gabba to celebrating that we avoided a follow-on. Truly the mighty have fallen from the crown.

To watch the knock of Steve Smith, Click Here.

To watch the knock of Travis Head, Click Here.

To watch the spell of Jasprit Bumrah, Click Here. 

THE LEGEND OF KING KOHLI

Image Credit- ESPN CricInfo.

Venue- Trent Bridge, Nottingham [August 18-22, 2018].

The 2014 England Tour was an absolute nightmare for Virat Kohli. He struggled to score runs against a formidable English attack. Pacer Jimmy Anderson got the better of him most of the time, as he managed to score just 134 odd runs in 5 Test Matches. It was an absolute tragedy that no Indian fan would like to remember. As a result, when Kohli returned to English shores 4 years later, he was determined to prove himself. Interestingly, he scored a ton as well as a half-century in the first test itself but struggled to score in the Home of Cricket—Lord’s. The drama now reached Nottingham, where it was a must-win game for India to remain alive in the series.

In this crunch situation, we saw the best of King. In the swinging and pacy conditions of Nottingham, Kohli scored a gritty 97 in the first innings and a magnificent 103 in the second innings. It was pure class of Virat Kohli as Indians blew away the English in their home. Yes, fortune did favor Kohli this time, but his knocks were truly masterclass. A treat to watch. The elegance, the timing, everything was simply superb. The ghosts of 2014 were well and truly buried now as Kohli got his name etched in the Trent Bridge Honor's Board. Remarkably, the man who struggled in 2014 ended up winning the Man of the Series Award in 2018 for scoring an exceptional 593 runs in 5 tests. 

To watch Kohli's masterclass in Trent Bridge, Click Here and Here.