CAPTAIN FANTASTIC

 

Image Credit—ESPN CricInfo.

Venue: Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam [November 17-1, 2016].

In the winters of 2016-17, the English cricket team toured India to play 5 test matches, 3 ODIs, and 3 T20 internationals. The first test in Rajkot ended in a nail-biting draw wherein Captain Kohli played a gritty knock on the final day to save the test for his side. The action for the series now shifted to the eastern coast of the country (Vishakhapatnam). Indian Captain Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bat first. The pitch appeared to be batter-friendly, but the duo of Broad and Anderson dismissed both the openers cheaply. The Indian scorecard read 22/2 when Captain Kohli joined Pujara in the middle. The game was on a knife-edge. One more wicket and the visitors would have got the better of the hosts.

However, this is when the duo of Kohli and Pujara stitched a massive partnership of 226 runs and brought the Indians back into the game. Cheteshwar Pujara scored a well-made 119 of 204 deliveries, whereas Captain Kohli, who was in the form of his life, scored a monumental 167 of 267 deliveries. In an innings that lasted for more than 6.5 hours, Kohli hit a total of 18 magnificent boundaries. It was a treat to watch as the innings had everything. From power to placement. Shots that had timing and precision. Captain Kohli was at his very best that day. Apart from Kohli and Pujara, Ashwin too scored a gritty half-century as the hosts were bowled out for 455 in their first innings.

In response, the visitors bundled out for just 255 in their first innings. It is pertinent to note that English players did get a start. Root, Stokes, and Bairstow all scored brilliant fifties, but none of them were able to emulate the duo of Pujara and Kohli. For Indians, Ravichandran Ashwin picked up 5 big wickets as the possibility of a follow-on became wide open.

Surprisingly Captain Kohli decided not to enforce a follow-on, and the Indians came out to bat. However, this time the English bowling line-up came out stronger as the hosts crumbled for just 204 in their second innings. If not for Kohli's 81, the Indian scorecard would not have even crossed the 150 mark. The English now needed 405 runs to win the match and take a 1-0 lead in the series.

But this is when the Indian spin attack ran riot and made a mess of the English batting line-up. The troika of Ashwin (3), Jadeja (2), and Jayant (3) picked 8 wickets in total as the hosts won the game by a massive 246 runs. Furthermore, the bowling was so top-notch that, apart from Captain Cook, no other English batsman was able to cross the 50-run mark as the visitors bundled out for 158 in their 2nd innings.

Captain Kohli was awarded the player of the match award for his excellent contribution with the bat as the series moved forward for another interesting chapter.

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

To watch the Innings of Virat Kohli, Click Here. 

STARCY'S ASHES

 

Image Credit – ESPN Cricinfo.

The Ashes 2025 are one of the most anticipated Test series in the Australian circuit. England, under the duo of Captain Stokes and Coach Baz, was determined to script history. On the other hand, Aussies wanted to keep their fortress intact. But this was not going to be an easy task for the hosts as their key players got injured just before the marquee event. The lethal troika of Lyon, Cummins and Hazlewood were to miss the series because of the injuries. Whereas the visitors had their top squad available. As a result, there was a belief that the English could do the impossible and break the winning streak of the mighty Aussies.

But this is when Mitchell Starc rose to the occasion and delivered one of the greatest performances in the history of Ashes cricket. The 35-year-old warhorse not only picked up 31 wickets but also scored 156 runs with the bat at an average of 26. His half-century at the Gabba was one of the sole reasons why the Aussies were able to get a first-innings lead. Moreover, his bowling spells were equally ferocious. In Perth and the Gabba, he single-handedly destroyed the English batting line-up. Apart from that, he also bowled brilliantly in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney as the Aussies retained the Ashes 4-1.

It was truly one of the greatest performances by one of the most legendary cricketers. Ashes 2025 was truly Starcy's Ashes.

One can Enjoy Starc's Incredible Bowling Performace Here.

To watch the Gritty Half-Century of Mitchell Starc, Click Here. 

INCREDIBLE JOE

 

Image Credit – ESPN CricInfo.

Venue – The Gabba, Brisbane [December 4-7, 2025].

Joe Root is one of the finest batsmen of our generation. Be it Test Cricket, ODI Cricket or T20 Cricket, Root has proved himself in every format. A winner of the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. The winner of the Ashes and also a part of the victorious test squads in India and South Africa. Root has been a champion player. However, post-pandemic Root has come out like a phoenix, breaking records in Test cricket year after year. Presently he is the second-leading run scorer in the history of Test cricket, with only the great Sachin Tendulkar ahead of him. It appears that it's only a matter of time when he will eclipse the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.

But, despite all of this, there was one thing which was hurting him a lot, and that was no test century down under. In the previous 3 tours, he did come close on multiple occasions but failed to get to the 3-digit mark. The critics labelled him as a home-track bully who couldn't score runs in tough conditions. Moreover, the condemnation got even harsher when he failed in the first test at Perth.

As a result, the pressure was huge when the English side reached Brisbane for the day-night test. The press, the critics – everyone was behind him. But this is when Root played one of the finest knocks of his career and silenced all the criticism in style. The visitors were reeling at 5/2 when Joe Root stepped in. The game was on a knife-edge. Starc was bowling fire. Moreover, there was also a catch drop in the very initial stage of his innings of the bowling of Starc. Thus, it can be said that it couldn't have got any tougher. However, it didn't affect Joe Root, who looked determined to script history.

Root batted all day and scored an incredible 138* of 206 deliveries. In an innings which lasted for nearly 6.5 hours, Root hammered 15 boundaries and 1 six, which helped him take his side to a respectable score of 334. It is interesting to note that the wickets kept on falling on the other side, but Root maintained his calm. Moreover, once he got to his 100, he got even more comfortable in batting as he hit a few reverse scoops. The incredible Joe entertained everyone, and the innings was a delight to watch.

But the moment which caught everyone's attention was his celebration after getting to the three figures. It appeared as if a burden had finally come off his shoulders. The champion need not prove anything now. Moreover, Rooty scored a monumental 160 in Sydney as well, as he ended the Ashes down under on a high.

To watch the innings of Joe Root, Click Here. 

AN INNINGS TO REMEMBER

 

Image Credit—ESPN CricInfo.

Venue—Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai [November 7, 2023].

Nothing gets bigger than the ICC Cricket World Cup. The pressure, the drama, and the excitement are second to none. After all, if you perform here, you etch your name into the history books, as you will be remembered forever. Moreover, even after years, the fans will be talking about that particular knock or spell, which changed the course of the game. In this blog post we will be talking about one such magnificent inning that no one would ever forget.

The venue was the beautiful Wankhede Stadium in the City of Dreams, Mumbai. Afghanistan was facing Australia in a high-stakes encounter as both sides were fighting to secure their spot in the semi-finals. The Men in Blue batted first and posted a competitive total of 291 in their 50 overs. Ibrahim Zadran scored a scintillating 129 as the Aussies struggled to put the brakes upon the Afghan attack.

In response, the men in yellow were 49/4 when Maxwell joined Labuschagne in the middle. The run chase suffered a more significant dent in the coming overs as the wickets kept on tumbling from one end. The Australian scorecard was 91/7 when Skipper Cummins joined Maxwell in the middle. The game seemed to be over for the Aussies. But this is when a calamity struck. The Afghans dropped the catch of Maxwell, which ended up being the most costly drop ever.

Glenn Maxwell produced one of the greatest innings in the history of the marquee event as he scored an unbeaten 201 runs off just 128 deliveries and took his team to the semi-finals. In an unbelievable innings that lasted for around 3 hours, Maxwell hit a total of 21 boundaries and 10 sixes. But this was not that easy. Maxwell experienced severe leg cramps in between and was barely able to walk. But still, he continued to bat without any footwork and won the game for his nation. 

Skipper Cummins also played his part as he scored an unbeaten 12 of 68 deliveries and stitched a historic 8th wicket partnership of 202 runs with Maxwell. It was important that Cummins stay in the middle and support Maxwell in every possible manner, which he efficiently did.

The Aussies won the game by 3 wickets and marched into the top 4. Moreover, they also ended up beating South Africa and India in the semi-final and final, respectively, and thus lifted their 6th World Cup title. However, the same would not have been possible without that insane inning of Mad Max. It was truly an innings that changed the fate of a World Cup.

To watch the innings of Maxwell, Click Here.