THIS IS TEST CRICKET

 

Image Credit – ESPN CricInfo.

Venue: Antigua Recreation Ground, St John's, Antigua and Barbuda [May 25-29, 2000].

In the era of T20 cricket, patience and perseverance have taken a backseat. Batsmen are ready to take on the bowlers from the very first ball, whereas the bowlers have developed a timid mentality of making sure that they just don't go for runs. Moreover, the bowlers wait for the batsman to commit an error so that they can get their name on the wicket-takers list instead of doing something on their own. The game has thus been reduced to a batsman-versus-batsman contest, with bowlers taking a side role, as the team with a better set of batsmen will win.

However, when it comes to Test cricket, the contest is still very much fair. Barring England and Pakistan, where we have witnessed some of the flattest surfaces to bat upon, countries like the West Indies, Australia and South Africa still produce pitches where surviving as a batsman is an honour in itself – forget about scoring quick runs. On several occasions we have witnessed certain games in the past which the T20 generation could never fathom. In this blog post we will be talking about such a test match, or rather a partnership which made us say, 'Test cricket, you beauty.'

It was the West Indies who were facing Pakistan in their backyard. The first two tests ended in a draw, and we were heading for an interesting finale in Antigua. The hosts were required to chase 216 runs to win both the match and the series. The target might look like a small one, but it was not that easy. A tough pitch with one of the most lethal bowling line-ups in front (Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Abdul Razzaq and Saqlain Mushtaq can give nightmares to anyone). Moreover, the West Indian scorecard read 197/9 when Courtney Walsh joined Captain Jimmy Adams in the middle. The game was on a knife-edge. One more wicket and the visitors would have wrapped up both the match and the series. Apart from that, Courtney Walsh is a batsman who has been dismissed for a 0 on multiple occasions (once in every four innings).

So the challenge was tough. The Windies had a mountain to climb. But boy! What happened next was something truly unbelievable. The duo of Adams and Walsh batted for more than an hour and took their side home. It was certainly an hour of cricket which no fan would ever forget. Walsh surviving the Pakistani bowling attack for 72 minutes and coming out unbeaten was surely not what anyone was expecting. Apart from that, Jimmy Adams played a captain's knock in most of the toughest of situations as he scored an unbeaten 48 of 212 deliveries. There were smiles all around when he took 2 off Akram's bowling and the score got levelled. However, the ground erupted with joy and happiness as Adams took a cheeky single as the Windies won the game by the barest of margins.

Wasim Akram and the Pakistani team could not believe what had happened. The hosts have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Moreover, one could feel for Akram, who picked up 11 wickets in the game but still ended on the losing side. However, this is what the test ticket is all about. The game of patience, perseverance and, in certain cases, luck.

It was Test cricket at its best.

To watch the partnership between Adams and Walsh, Click Here. 

CAPTAIN KOHLI SEALS IT FOR INDIA

 

Image Credit- ESPN CricInfo.

Venue- Centurion Park, Centurion [February 16, 2018].

In the year 2018, the Indian Cricket Team scripted history. For the very first time, they won an ODI series in the rainbow nation. Interestingly, the series was won in the 5th ODI itself, and when the teams assembled for the final match at Centurion, it was very much a dead rubber.

However, everyone was expecting that the Proteas would not give up so easily and would try to win this game. But the Indians under Captain Kohli delivered one of their finest performances that day. The men in blue, after winning the toss, asked the Proteas to bat first and reduced them to just 204 runs in 46.5 overs. The South Africans were literally struggling before the Indian bowling line-up. It appeared as if India was playing in its backyard. An Indian victory was just a matter of time.

Virat Kohli, who was in the form of his life, scored a quickfire 129* off just 96 deliveries as India won the match by 8 wickets with 107 balls to spare. It is pertinent to note that the pitch was not that easy to bat. Be it the Proteas or the Indians, everyone struggled on that wicket. However, King Kohli was in a different zone altogether. The way he led the attack from the front was quite amazing. In the previous matches of the series, we saw Kohli scoring runs mostly by rotating the strike. But this time it was all about shots and power-hitting. 

The humiliation was well and truly complete as the Proteas suffered a 1-5 defeat on their own soil. Captain Kohli was awarded both the player of the match and player of the series awards for his excellent contribution with the bat.

558 runs in 6 ODIs. It was truly one of the greatest performances by one of the greatest players. 

To watch the Innings of Virat Kohli, Click Here. 

THE LEGEND OF CAPTAIN KOHLI

 

Image Credit- ESPN CricInfo.

Venue – Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town [February 7, 2018].

In the previous post, we talked about what happened in the first one-day international. In this blog we will be talking about the third ODI. Team India was 2-0 up after the second ODI in Centurion ended in a comfortable win for the visitors. The margin of victory just kept getting better for the men in blue as they won the second ODI by 9 wickets, which in fact is India's biggest winning margin against South Africa in ODIs, in terms of wickets.

The action now shifted to Cape Town, wherein the Proteas captain, Aiden Markram, won the toss and decided to field first. It turned out to be a remarkable decision, as Rabada dismissed Rohit Sharma for a duck in the very first over. The Indian scorecard read 0/1 when Captain Kohli joined Dhawan in the middle. Interestingly, Kohli was given leg before in the 3rd over of the innings at the bowling of Rabada. However, Kohli took a review in which we saw that the ball first touched the bat. As a result, the decision of the on-field umpire was changed, and Kohli survived.

After this, Kohli stitched a magnificent partnership of 140 runs with Dhawan, and the Indians were back into the game. However, Duminy got the important breakthrough in the 24th over as Dhawan was caught by the Proteas captain off Duminy's bowling. The Indian scorecard read 140/2 when Shikhar got out for a well-made 76.

A lot was still left in the game, but post Dhawan's departure we witnessed the fall of wickets at regular intervals. However, Captain Kohli stood his ground and continued to hammer the Proteas. King Kohli scored an incredible 160* as India posted a massive total of 303/6 in 50 overs. It is interesting to note that Virat Kohli, who came in the second over, batted till the very last ball of the innings. The innings lasted for 159 deliveries and 3.5 hours. Moreover, the most fascinating thing about this knock is that out of 160 runs, 100 runs were scored by running between the wickets. There were only 12 boundaries and 2 sixes in this marathon innings of his, which shows us the fitness and athleticism of our captain. The Newlands crowd were up on their feet, as what they saw was a classical knock by one of the cricketers of our times.

The target of 304 was not going to be easy for the Proteas. Even though they started off pretty well, the duo of Kuldeep and Chahal just kept picking wickets as the hosts got bundled out for just 179 runs in 40 overs. The duo of Kul-Cha picked up 4 wickets each as the Men in Blue won the game by 124 runs and took a 3-0 lead in the series.

Captain Kohli was awarded the man of the match award for his excellent century as Indians looked unstoppable on the South African shores.

To watch the Highlights of that Match, Click Here.

To watch the Innings of Virat Kohli, Click Here.

THE BEST OF CHASE MASTER

 

Image Credit- ESPN CricInfo.

Venue – Kingsmead Cricket Ground, Durban [February 1, 2018].

In the summer of 2018, the Indian Cricket Team toured South Africa to play 3 Tests, 6 ODIs and 3 T20 Internationals. The men in blue looked promising, and everyone expected that they could script history in the rainbow nation. However, batting collapses in Cape Town and Centurion meant that the Proteas were able to win the test series with one game remaining to play. The media and the press were expecting a whitewash. However, the Indians fought back hard in Johannesburg and secured a famous win, defying all odds [To know more about that Test Match, Click Here].

The action now shifted to white-ball cricket. Interestingly, the charismatic Proteas batsman AB de Villiers was ruled out of the first 3 ODIs due to a finger injury. Moreover, Dale Steyn was also injured. However, despite the injuries, the Proteas were a formidable side to beat. Apart from that, Indians have also never won an ODI series before in South Africa. So, the contest between the two powerhouses was expected to be a strong one.

South African Captain Faf du Plessis won the toss and decided to bat first in Kingsmead. The hosts got off to a slow and steady start. However, the regular fall of wickets kept the visitor alive in the game. At one stage the Proteas' scorecard read 134/5 with Indians squeezing in. However, this is when Faf du Plessis played a captain's knock and helped his side reach a formidable score of 269/8 in 50 overs. Captain Faf scored a magnificent 120 off just 112 deliveries in the toughest of conditions as the Proteas launched a brilliant counterattack in the final overs of the innings.

The Indians now needed 270 runs to win the game and take a 1-0 lead in the series. The chase was not going to be an easy one, and the matter even became complicated when Shikhar Dhawan got run out. The Indian scorecard read 67/2 with Rahane joining Captain Kohli in the center. The match was on a knife-edge. A wicket now would have pushed India on the back foot.

But this is when Virat Kohli led from the front and took his side home. Captain Kohli scored yet another century while chasing as he stitched a match-winning partnership of 189 runs with Rahane. Kohli, who was in the form of his life, battered the Proteas with a brilliant knock of 112. It is interesting to note that in an innings which lasted for around 164 minutes, Kohli faced a total of 119 deliveries in which he hit just 10 boundaries. This implies that he scored the remaining 72 runs by running between the wickets, which requires a lot of strength and fitness. 

Apart from Kohli, Rahane too scored a well-composed 79 as the Indians won the match by 6 wickets with 27 balls to spare. The game awareness of Kohli and Rahane was simply superb as they batted sensibly without taking any unnecessary risks and always kept the required rate in control. Nowhere did it appear that we were lagging in the run-chase. The duo soaked up all the pressure like anything.

 Captain Kohli was awarded the man of the match award for his excellent hundred as we took a 1-0 lead in the series. Though the knock deserves all the praise and accolades. But it was the celebration of Kohli which grabbed all the headlines for good reasons. The celebration was a captain's roar who would only accept victory and nothing else.

To watch the Highlights of the Match, Click Here.

To watch the Innings of Virat Kohli, Click Here. 

THE LONE-WARRIOR

 

Image Credit – ESPN CricInfo.

Venue- Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne [December 26-30, 1999].

In the Australian summer of 1999, the Indian cricket team toured Australia to play 3 Test matches. The Aussies won the first test at Adelaide by a massive 285 runs, and the action now shifts to Melbourne. It was a do-or-die test for the Indians. Fortunate enough, it was Sachin Tendulkar who won the toss and decided to field first on what looked like a gloomy day in Melbourne. There were black clouds all around, with instance of shower in between. So, bowling first seemed a wonderful decision.

However, Michael Slater scored a gritty 91-run knock and got his team to a solid start. Apart from Slater, Ponting and Gilchrist too scored valuable 50s as the hosts posted a formidable 407 in the first innings. In response, the Indian batting line-up fell like a pack of cards. Apart from the great Sachin Tendulkar, every other batsman looked helpless in front of the Aussie attack led by debutant Brett Lee. Brett Lee, who was playing his maiden test match in front of a packed MCG crowd, picked up 5 wickets as the Indians bundled out for just 238 in their first innings.

But even in this moment of despair and defeat, Sachin Tendulkar played a magnificent knock of 116 and led the fight alone for his country. In an innings which lasted for around 5 hours, Sachin hit a total of 9 boundaries and one six. It was literally a captain's knock wherein he replied to the Aussies in style. But it was his duel with Warne which grabbed the headlines. Both Warnie and Sachin were at the peak of their powers, and the way Sachin batted in front of him made everyone stand on their feet. The innings was truly as classic as even the opponent players congratulated the great man when he got to his hundred. 

However, cricket is a team game, and one man cannot do it all alone. The Aussies in the second innings declared at a score of 209/5 and set Indians a difficult target of 376 runs. The run chase was not going to be an easy one, and the lethal bowling lineup of the Aussies made the task close to impossible.

The Indians crumbled in no time, and the hosts won the match comfortably by 180 runs. Team India, in their second innings, managed to score just 195 runs, with their captain being the lone performer. Tendulkar scored a fighting 52 as the Aussies ran rampant over the remaining team. The match was lost, and so was the series.

However, despite ending up on the losing cause, Sachin Tendulkar was awarded the man of the match award for his magnificent performance. After all, the captain gave it his all. Interestingly, after 26 years the match is remembered for the duel between Warnie and Sachin. It was indeed a clash of the titans on the most hallowed ground of cricket. 

To watch the Highlights of the Test Match, Click Here. 

THE RUN-CHASE

 

Image Credit – ESPN Cricinfo.

Venue – Bellerive Oval, Hobart [November 18-22, 1999].

In the Australian summer of 1999, the Pakistan cricket team toured Australia to play 3 Test matches. The Hosts won the first test at Brisbane by 10 wickets, and action for the series now shifted to Hobart. It was a must-win game for the visitors to stay alive in the series. However, it was the Australian captain who won the crucial toss and sent the Pakistanis to bat first.

The decision turned out to be a good one as the visitors bundled out for just 222 runs in their first innings. Mohammad Wasim was the leading run-getter for the men in green as he scored a solid 91 against the lethal Australian bowling attack. However, apart from him, no other Pakistani batsman was able to cross the 50-run mark. For Hosts, it was Warnie and Muller who picked up 3 wickets each.

In response, the Aussies started strongly and steadily. Michael Slater scored a gritty 97 as he took his team closer to the visitors' total. However, we witnessed a collapse after Slater's dismissal. From 1/191, the Aussies ended up getting bowled out for just 246 runs. Saqlain Mushtaq played a key role in this collapse as he picked up 6 crucial wickets and brought his team back into the game.

In the second innings, however, the visitors came out strongly and posted a formidable total of 392 runs. Inzamam-ul-Haq scored a magnificent 118 as the hosts struggled to take wickets. Apart from Shane Warne (5), every bowler struggled to get a breakthrough.

The Aussies now needed 369 runs to win the test and series. However, this was not going to be an easy task. Moreover, the chase became even more difficult as the visitors dismissed the top order in no time. The Aussie scorecard read 5/126 when Gilchrist joined Langer in the middle. The game was on a knife-edge. One more wicket and the Pakistanis would have steam-rolled the Aussies' tailenders.

But this is when we witnessed one of the finest cricketing partnerships. The duo of Langer and Gilchrist stitched a massive partnership of 238 runs and won the game for their team. It was truly a delight to watch. Langer played a gritty knock of 127 off 195 deliveries and took the sting out of the attack. But the real havoc was wreaked by Gilchrist, who scored a quickfire 149* off just 163 deliveries and demolished the opponent by his explosive brand of cricket. It was 'BazBall' before 'Bazball'. It was explosive cricket of the highest order.

The Aussies won the match by 4 wickets and took a 2-0 lead in the series. Justin Langer was awarded the man of the match award for his remarkable batting performance; however, it was the innings of Gilchrist which grabbed the headlines. The flamboyant wicketkeeper batsman has made his mark in the red ball game. Moreover, the defeat in Hobart also shattered the morale of the visitors as they ended up getting whitewashed at the WACA.

To watch the Highlights of the Test Match, Click Here. 

THE FIGHTBACK

Image Credit- ESPN CricInfo.

Venue: Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica [30 July-3 August, 2016].

In the summer of 2016, the Indian Cricket Team toured the West Indies to play 4 Test Matches and 2 T20 Internationals. The visitors won the first test comfortably, and the action of the series now reached the iconic venue of Sabina Park. The Windies won the toss and decided to bat first in a game which they couldn't afford to lose. However, the visitors continued their form from Antigua and bowled out the hosts for just 196 runs in the first innings. Ravichandran Ashwin was once again the leading wicket-taker for the Indians as he picked up yet another fifer. Apart from Ashwin, Ishant and Shami picked a couple of wickets each as the Windies struggled yet again in front of the Indian bowling attack.

In response, the Indians declared a massive score of 500/9. KL Rahul scored a magnificent 158 as Indians were able to secure a massive first-innings lead of 304 runs. Apart from Rahul, Rahane too scored an unbeaten 108 as the Windies struggled for wickets. However, it is interesting to note that Roston Chase did give some competition to Indian batsmen, as he was able to pick up 5 of the 9 wickets, which included the prized wickets of Dhawan and Kohli. Moreover, he was also involved in the run-out of Pujara, so his contribution was significant for the hosts.

However, a deficit of 304 was never going to be easy for any team in any condition. To make matters worse, the Windies' top order collapsed in no time, with Indians looking at yet another innings win. But this is when Roston Chase surprised everyone, this time with the bat, as he scored an unbeaten 137 and helped Windies secure a draw from nowhere. Chase batted for around 6 hours and stitched valuable partnerships with Dowrich and Holder as the Windies inched closer to the 400-run mark [388/6 to be precise].

After 104 overs of West Indies batting, the test match ended in a draw. No one could believe what they had just witnessed. After all, the hosts have pulled off a miraculous fightback before a mighty Indian side. Roston Chase was awarded the man of the match award for his all-round performance as the hosts were still alive in the series.

To watch the Highlights of the Test Match, Click Here.

To read about what happened in the First Test, Click Here.