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.