THE HOSTS MOVE FORWARD

                 

Image Credit – ESPN Cricinfo.

Venue: Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground, Colombo [June 25-29, 2025].

In the summer of 2025, the Bangladesh cricket team toured Sri Lanka to play a couple of test matches along with 3 ODIs and 3 T20 internationals. The test series marked the beginning of the new WTC cycle, so both the teams were eager to start their campaign on a high. The first test in Galle was a run-fest, as both teams piled up a lot of runs. Najmul Shanto became the first Bangladeshi captain who scored a hundred in both innings of the match. Apart from him, Mushfiqur Rahim and Pathum Nissanka also scored wonderful tons as the bowlers struggled for most of the part of the game. The match eventually ended in a draw, and the teams now reached Colombo for the final test. Regrettably, after the first test, the Sri Lankan legend Angelo Mathews announced retirement from Test cricket, which did create a void. After all, Mathews has been a legend for the Lankan Lions. An all-rounder who won't be easy to replace.

In a must-win game, the Bangladeshi captain won the toss and elected to bat first. The pitch and conditions looked perfect to bat. However, the Lankan bowlers kept on chipping wickets at regular intervals, which meant that the visitors struggled to reach a competitive total. Mind you, most of the Bangladeshi batsmen got a start but failed to capitalize upon the same.

In response the Lankans ended up scoring 458 in their first innings, with Pathum Nissanka scoring yet another magnificent hundred. In an innings which lasted more than 6 hours, Nissanka scored a brilliant 158 of 254 deliveries as the hosts managed to secure a first innings lead of 201 runs. Apart from Nissanka, Chandimal and Kusal Mendis also scored brilliant half-centuries as visitors struggled for wickets.

The Bangladeshis in the second innings had a mountain to climb. They were required to deliver their best of performance. Unfortunately, they saved the worst for last as they bundled out for just 133 runs in 44.2 overs. Prabath Jayasurya picked up 5 crucial wickets as the Lankans won the match by an innings and 78 runs.

Pathum Nissanka was awarded both player of the match and the series award as the hosts won the series 1-0 and took a step forward in the race for the WTC Final. 

A KNOCK FOR THE AGES

 

Image Credit – ESPN CricInfo.

Venue – Jade Stadium, Christchurch [March 13-17, 2002].

Aggressive cricket is the talk of the town. In the earlier decades it was only confined to white-ball cricket, but since Brendon McCullum's takeover of the English Test team, aggressive batting has become a common phenomenon in the red-ball arena as well. BazBall - TravBall - JaisBall. We have multiple versions now. However, nothing comes close to Nathan Astle's iconic double hundred in Christchurch. At a time when defeat looked imminent, Astle stood strong and delivered one of the finest cricketing performances ever seen.

The hosts were set a target of a mammoth 550 runs to win the game. Moreover, the New Zealand score read 119/3 when Nathan Astle joined skipper Fleming in the middle. It was almost certain that the Kiwis would lose the test. But this is when Astle counter-attacked and took everyone by surprise. In an innings which lasted for around 4 hours, Astle scored a monumental 222 from just 168 deliveries. At a time when six-hitting in a test match was not a common phenomenon, Astle hit 11 sixes in addition to the 28 magnificent boundaries.

It is pertinent to note that the innings was not a typical modern-day knock dominated by slogging and power hitting but was one of elegance with proper cricketing shots on display. However, the most interesting thing about this double-hundred is the fact that most of Astle's runs came along with tailenders. The man stood all alone against the English team and took the attack by storm. Caddick, who picked up 6 wickets in that innings, was also taken to the cleaners. At one stage it even appeared that Astle could be impossible here, but Hoggard got him at last for 222, with the hosts getting bowled out for 451 runs in their second innings. 

The English won the match by 98 runs and took a 1-0 lead in the series, but it was Nathan Astle who received the maximum amount of praise for his double hundred. After all, the way he batted that day has not been replicated by anyone to date.

To watch the innings of Nathan Astle, Click Here. 

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 when 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 greatest 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.