THIS IS ASHES

 

Image Credit- Wisden.

Venue - Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham [August 2005].

The psychological warfare leading up to the match involved numerous Australian comments to the media asserting their advantage on the pitch, criticizing England's excessive chatter, and pointing out flaws in their top order. England remained relatively quiet until stories emerged just before the game, suggesting that the outcome would hinge on the toss, as history favored the team bowling first at Edgbaston. England gained the upper hand in this mental game when Ricky Ponting opted to bowl after winning the toss, a decision later deemed to have backfired as England began their batting innings.

England capitalized on being inserted to bat and performed strongly, becoming the first team to score over 400 runs on the first day of a Test against Australia since 1938. Their brisk scoring rate in the opening partnership was aided by Glenn McGrath's freak injury sustained during warm-up, forcing Australia to field Michael Kasprowicz as his replacement. Despite McGrath's absence, England's opening batsmen, Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss, set a solid foundation with a 112-run partnership, frustrating the Australian side. Trescothick's innings, which could have ended earlier due to a no-ball, saw him eventually make 90 runs before being dismissed.

England's momentum continued, with Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff contributing significantly to the total. Pietersen's aggressive batting style in only his second Test match, alongside Flintoff's powerful innings, added valuable runs. Despite a late flurry of wickets, including Pietersen's dismissal by Lee, England managed to surpass 400 runs in the first innings.

As Australia began their innings, they faced early setbacks, including the loss of Matthew Hayden for a golden duck and Ricky Ponting out shortly after lunch. Although Justin Langer and Michael Clarke steadied the innings with a solid partnership, England's bowlers struck back, with Simon Jones dismissing Langer and initiating a collapse of the Australian lower order. Despite Adam Gilchrist's resistance, Australia's innings concluded with England holding a significant lead.

The third day saw a flurry of wickets, with Warne and Flintoff leading the charge for their respective teams. England's batting struggled, but Flintoff's aggressive approach provided some resistance before he fell to Warne. Warne's exceptional bowling performance, taking six wickets, played a crucial role in restricting England's lead and setting up an intriguing final phase of the match.

Hayden and Langer began their innings positively, capitalizing on loose deliveries from Harmison, Hoggard, and Giles. By the 12th over, they had accumulated 47 runs without losing a wicket, making good progress towards their target of 282. However, Flintoff turned the tide with a remarkable over. Although he couldn't complete the hat-trick he had been aiming for since the last innings, his second delivery dismissed Langer with a well-executed leg cutter. The third ball narrowly avoided a lbw decision, the fourth found Ponting's edge but didn't carry to slip, and a lbw appeal on the fifth was also denied. However, his sixth delivery, which Ponting left outside the off stump, was deemed a no-ball, leading to a seventh and final delivery. This time, another leg cutter from Flintoff resulted in Ponting being caught behind. Combining his performance from the previous innings, Flintoff had taken four wickets in just nine balls. Most significantly, Australia's strong start at 47/0 had been dramatically reduced to 48/2.

Hayden continued to battle on, but he was eventually dismissed by Simon Jones, who faced criticism for his exuberant celebrations. England maintained pressure, claiming three more wickets before the end of the day's play, with Giles dismissing Katich and Gilchrist, while Flintoff's delivery trapped Gillespie lbw.

An additional half-hour of play was granted as the result seemed imminent, but Warne and Clarke stood firm against the English attack. Warne adopted an aggressive approach, particularly against Giles, scoring 12 runs in one over. Despite Clarke and Warne's resistance, Harmison delivered a decisive slower ball that deceived Clarke and ended the day's play. Mark Nicholas hailed the delivery as a remarkable gamble that paid off for Harmison. Heading into the fourth day, England needed two wickets for victory, while Australia required 107 runs.

England seemed poised for victory, but Australia fought back with two crucial partnerships, first between Warne and Lee, then with Kasprowicz supporting Lee. With Australia nearing the target, England resorted to aggressive short-pitched bowling, aiming for catches or to surprise the batsmen with yorkers. With just three runs needed for victory, Harmison delivered a short ball that Kasprowicz fended off, resulting in an athletic catch by Geraint Jones. Despite subsequent replays suggesting an incorrect decision by the umpire, England was declared the winner by the narrowest of margins, levelling the series with three matches remaining.

Following the victory, Flintoff's immediate reaction was to console Lee, highlighting the sportsmanship and mutual respect between the teams. England's two-run win marked the closest victory by runs in Ashes history, and it stood as the second narrowest margin of victory in Test cricket history, behind only the West Indies' one-run win over Australia in Adelaide in 1993, later equaled by New Zealand's victory over England by the same margin in Wellington in 2023.

To watch the highlights of the test, Click Here.

To watch that iconic over of Freddie Flintoff, Click Here.

ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS

 

Image Credit- ESPN CricInfo.

Venue- M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru [June 2018].

In June 2018, the Afghanistan cricket team traveled to India for a one-off Test match against the Indian cricket team. It was Afghanistan's first Test match since the International Cricket Council (ICC) granted them Test status back in June 2017. However it turned out to be a nightmare as the Indians defeated the Afghanis by an innings and 262 runs and that too in two days' time. Interestingly it is only the fourth time in Test history that a team was dismissed twice in one day. Furthermore, by this win India became the first Asian team to win a Test match in less than two days, and it was also their largest victory in an innings in the history of the format.

On a batting friendly wicket Captain Rahane won the toss and elected to bat first. Riding on the centuries of Vijay and Dhawan, India posted a big score of 474 in their first innings. Apart from Vijay and Dhawan, KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya too scored crucial 50s. However, Afghanistan's batsmen collapsed like nine pins in the first innings of the second session of the day, scoring just 109 runs in response to India's 474. R Ashwin claimed four wickets, while Ishant Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja finished with two wickets each in the first innings. 

The second innings was no different from the first as the Indian bowlers, headed by Jadeja (4/17) and Umesh Yadav (3/26) dismissed the Afghans for just 103 runs, thus ending the match for India in less than two days. Following the game, India's captain, Ajinkya Rahane said that the Afghan team would definitely get better if they play more first-class and Test Matches. The Afghanistan's coach, Phil Simmons, stated that the team was "by no means happy" with their performance but that they would succeed if they continued to work hard.

THE KOHLI ERA

Image Credit- ESPN CricInfo. 

Venue- P Sara Oval, Colombo [August 2015].

In August 2015 Indian Cricket Team toured Sri Lanka to play 3 test matches. It was the first full test series of Virat Kohli as Test Captain. Prior to this he did captain India in 3 test matches, but this was the series wherein he had the complete command of everything. It is because against Australia MS Dhoni captained in a couple of tests, whereas against Bangladesh it was just a one-off match which too got washed-out. Hence this was the first major challenge for the new and young Indian Captain. 

However, the series did not start of pretty well for Kohli. Despite dominating the first test they suffered a 4th inning collapse which gave Sri Lanka a 1-0 lead in the series. The Indians needed just 176 runs to win the game, but Rangana Herath wove a spin-web in which he dismissed 7 Indian Batsmen. The visitors were bowled out for just 112 runs as the hosts won the game by 63 runs. 

As a result, the second test was a do or die test for the Indians. In a must win game Kohli won the toss and elected to bat first. The Indians started of pretty badly as they were reduced to 12/2 in just 5 overs. However, KL Rahul took charge and scored a magnificent 108 runs. Apart from him Kohli, Sharma and Saha too scored vital 50s as the visitors piled up 393 in their first innings. In response the Lankans scored 306 in their first innings as Angelo Mathews played a captain's knock of 102. Amit Mishra was the leading wicket taker in the first innings as he picked up 4 wickets for 43 runs. 

In the second innings Rahane showed his class as he scored a majestic 126. Apart from him Murali Vijay too scored a gritty 82 as Indians declared at a score of 325/8. The Lankans needed 413 runs to win the match. The target was not going to be easy, and the duo of Ashwin (5) and Mishra (4) made it impossible for the hosts. The Lankans were bowled out for just 134 in their second innings as India won the test match by 278 runs and levelled the series 1-1. 

[Postscript- This was Virat Kohli's first test win as a Captain. Furthermore, this test also turned out to be the final test of Kumar Sangakkara who announced retirement from International Cricket post this match. Lastly Team India continued their red-hot form in the third test as well as they defeated Sri Lanka by 117 runs and won the series 2-1. It is interesting to note that this was India's first overseas test series victory since the 2011 tour in the West Indies. The Kohli Era has started.] 

THE MARTIN GUPTILL SHOW

 

Image Credit- Wisden.

Venue- Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington [March 21, 2015].

Hosts New Zealand were facing Windies in the Quarterfinals of the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup. The Kiwis were unbeaten in the tournament. On the other hand, the Windies had a topsy-turvy journey in the tournament. On a batting friendly wicket Kiwi Captain Brendon McCullum won the toss and elected to bat first. However, what happened next was something truly unbelievable. Martin Guptill scored a mammoth 237 not out of just 163 deliveries. His innings comprised of 24 boundaries and 11 massive sixes. On that very day he just blew away the Windies bowling line-up. Except Daren Sammy every other West Indian bowler went for runs. Due to this magnificent knock Kiwis reached a massive total of 393/6 in their 50 overs. The chase of 394 was never going to be easy and Windies were eventually bowled out for 250 in 31 overs.  

Interestingly Martin Guptill remained the difference between the two sides. Furthermore, it is pertinent to note that 92 of New Zealand's 153 runs in the last ten overs came from Guptill alone. He even hit a six over the roof in the fiftieth over. Throughout his innings, Guptill scored runs without restriction, but predictably, in the latter part, the run flow turned into an unstoppable torrent. His century came from 111 balls, and his first half-century from 64 balls.  This suggests that 41 deliveries accounted for his second hundred. To be honest Guptill was ready with a six wherever the West Indies pitched it in the last ten overs.

In a World Cup quarterfinal, a double century is an extremely rare feat. In addition to being the second-highest total in ODIs and the greatest World Cup score ever, Martin Guptill's unbeaten 237 also secured New Zealand's seventh World Cup semi-final appearance. 

It's now over 9 years since that magnificent knock was played, but Guptill's innings will live in infamy among the cricket fans. 

To watch the innings of Guptill, Click Here. 

THE RED BALL REVOLUTION

 

Image Credit- ESPN CricInfo.

Venue- National Cricket Stadium, Grenada [March 2022].

In the summer of 2022 English Cricket Team toured West Indies to play 3 test matches. The first two tests ended in a draw and all eyes were now set in Grenada which was to host the final test. The visitors came close to win the second test, but somehow the men in maroon survived their second innings which kept the series 0-0. In the ultimate test, West Indian Captain Kraigg Brathwaite won the toss and elected to field first. The English struggled to bat on the Grenada wicket as they were reduced to 114/9 in 53 overs. However, Jack Leach and Saqib Mahmood fought hard as the English ended up scoring 204 in their first innings. The duo of Leach and Saqib added 90 runs and survived almost 37 overs which gave some hope to the visitors. 

In response the Windies scored 297 in their first innings. Joshua Da Silva scored a fighting 100 of 257 deliveries as the Hosts managed to get a vital 93 runs lead. It is interesting to note that at one stage the Windies were struggling at 95/6. However, their lower order came to their rescue which added up around 202 runs. The 93 runs lead is not a very big lead in test cricket, but English failed miserably in their second innings as they were bowled out for just 120 runs. Kyle Mayers led from the front as he dismissed 5 English Batsmen. 

West Indies needed just 28 runs to win the test and the series. It was an easy task as the Hosts chased down the target without losing any wicket. Joshua Da Silva was awarded the player of the match award as the Windies lifted the inaugural Richards Botham Trophy. 

[Postscript- After losing the series Joe Root resigned from the test captaincy. The ECB appointed Brendon McCullum as the new coach of the English Test Team. Whereas Ben Stokes took over as the captain of the side. The Duo of Baz and Stokes redefined the Red Ball Game and ushered a revolution in Test Cricket. The defeat in Grenada resulted in the beginning of BazBall Cricket.]

To watch the highlights of this test, click on the URLs below-

Day 1.

Day 2.

Day 3.

Day 4.

THE PASSING OF BATON

 

Image Credit- ESPN CricInfo.

Venue- Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium, Mirpur [March 18 2012].

India were facing their arch rival Pakistan in the Group Stage of the 2012 Asia Cup. The Pakistanis were unbeaten in the tournament. On the other India lost its previous game against Bangladesh in Mirpur. Hence the men in blue were under intense pressure. On a batting friendly wicket Pakistani Captain Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and elected to bat first. Riding on the centuries of Mohammad Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed, the men in green posted a massive total of 329/6 in their 50 overs. It is interesting to note that the opening stand between Hafeez and Jamshed lasted for 35.5 overs in which the duo stitched a partnership of 224 runs. Apart from them Younis Khan scored a quickfire 52 of 34 deliveries as the Pakistanis reached 329. Every Indian bowler was taken for runs. But, despite all of this Praveen Kumar and Ashok Dinda were successful in picking up 2 wickets each. 

However the target of 330 was not going to be easy task and to make matters worse we lost our opener Gautam Gambhir in the second delivery of the innings. The Indian scorecard read 0/1 when Kohli came out to bat. It was indeed a precarious situation as one more wicket would have taken the match away from us. But, this is when Kohli showed his class. He added 133 runs with Sachin Tendulkar in just 114 deliveries. By the time Tendulkar was dismissed for 52 the Indians were in a good position. However it was his partnership with Rohit Sharma which eventually sealed the game for Indians. Kohli and Sharma had a massive partnership of 172 runs in 158 deliveries. Rohit Sharma scored a gritty 68 of 83 deliveries. However the star of the chase was Virat Kohli who scored a majestic 183 of 148 deliveries against a prime Pakistani attack.

In this knock of 183 Kohli hit a total of 22 boundaries and 1 six. Apart from that he was also very quick between the wickets which made the scoreboard continuously ticking. Due to his running between the wickets the required rate never went very high. This indeed shows Kohli's presence of mind and knowledge of the game. The Young Lad from Delhi made this run chase look like a piece of cake. Due to his efforts India won this game in the 48th over itself. 

Even though India failed to qualify for the finals of the Asia Cup, but they did get the successor of the Great Sachin Tendulkar. Interestingly this game was the last ODI game of the Little Master, which meant that he himself passed on the baton to his successor. 

  To watch that knock of Virat Kohli, Click Here. 

A STAR IS BORN

 

Image Credit- ESPN CricInfo. 

Venue- Adelaide Oval, Adelaide [January 2012].

2011-12 was a horrendous year for Indian Cricket as we suffered a 4-0 drubbing in both England and Australia. Rahul Dravid was the lone warrior for the Indians against English, but against the Aussies even he was struggling. Furthermore Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar were in the twilight of their career, so it was necessary for the young boys to rise up and take the baton. However it was not going to be an easy task. Afterall who could possibly replace the Little Master or the Wall who were not just legends of Indian Cricket, but World Cricket.  

However no one knew that a boy will Delhi will not only replace them, but will go on to break all their records. Yes, we are talking about Virat Kohli. In 2008 a young Virat Kohli made his senior team debut. Since then he performed brilliantly in white ball cricket, but was yet to make a mark in test cricket. Furthermore his performance both on and off the field were continuously under the radar. He was considered talented and skilled, but did he had that character to withstand harshest of conditions and pressure remained a question among many.   

Eventually on January 26, 2012 he scored his first test ton and silenced all his critics. Kohli scored a gritty 116 of 213 balls against the mighty Australians and cemented his name in the history of Adelaide Oval. His innings comprised of 11 boundaries and 1 sixes.  However the thing which amazed most of us was his aggression on the field. Taking on Australia at their home was something which required a lot of courage and skillset. Virat Kohli had it all. Even though Indians lost the test and the series 4-0, but they had a star in their squad. To be more precise - A Super Star.      

To watch that innings of Virat Kohli, Click Here.