ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS

 

Image Credit- ESPN CricInfo.

Venue- Rose Bowl, Southampton [August 21-25, 2020]. 

In the summer of 2020, the Pakistani Cricket Team toured England to play 3 Test Matches and 3 T20 Internationals. Due to the Covid pandemic, the match was played behind closed doors. The hosts won the first test at Manchester, whereas the second test match ended in a draw. As a result, it was a must-win game for the Pakistanis, whereas a draw would have ensured a series win for the English. 

In a do-or-die contest, it was the English captain who won the toss and decided to bat first. Unfortunately, the visitors struck back hard as they reduced the hosts to 127/4. One more wicket and the English could be bundled out in no time. But this is when Jos Buttler and Zak Crawly stitched a magnificent partnership of 359 runs and took England to a respectable position. Zak Crawley played his career-best knock of 267 as he made a mess of the Pakistani bowling line-up. Apart from Jos Buttler, who scored a magnificent 152, the hosts declared at a massive total of 583/8. It was indeed a historic partnership.

In response the Pakistanis were bowled out for just 273 runs in their first innings as James Anderson ran riot among the visitors. James Anderson produced a magnificent spell of 56-5 as he inched closer to the 600-wicket mark. The English enforced a follow-on; however, the match ended in a draw as the rains played a spoiler in between. However, despite the rain delay, Anderson was able to get past the 600 wickets milestone.

The English won the series 1-0 as both Crawley and Anderson etched their names in the record books. 

To watch the innings of Zak Crawley, Click Here.

To watch the 5-fer of James Anderson, Click Here.

To watch the moment when James Anderson picked up his 600th wicket, Click Here. 

ONCE UPON A TIME IN KOLKATA

 

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Venue- Eden Gardens, Kolkata [November 22-26, 2019]. 

 

In the winter of 2019, the Bangladeshi cricket team toured India to play 3 T20 Internationals and 2 Test Matches. The hosts won the T20 Series 2-1 and were leading the Test Series 1-0 before reaching Kolkata for the final test. Interestingly, this Test Match turned out to become a historic one due to multiple reasons. Firstly, it was the first pink ball test being played in India. Secondly, Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, and Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister of Bangladesh, struck the ceremonial bell to start the game. Lastly, this was the last time we saw Prime Virat Kohli. Because after this match, everything went down the slope. 

In a must-win game, Bangladeshi Captain Mominul Haque won the toss and decided to bat first. The decision turned out to be a horrendous one, as the Visitors were bowled out for just 106 runs in their first innings. The trio of Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, and Mohammed Shami blew the entire Bangladeshi batting lineup away in just 30.3 overs.

However, in response the Indians too got off to a shaky start as they were reduced to 43/2 in 12.5 overs. This is when Captain Kohli joined Pujara in the middle. The game was on a knife edge, as one more wicket at this stage would have opened the game wide open. But this is when King Kohli played one of his finest test knocks. Kohli scored a magnificent 136 off 194 deliveries and took the attack to the opposition. Apart from Kohli, Rahane and Pujara scored gritty half-centuries as Indians declared at a score of 347/9. However, it was Virat Kohli's century that stole the attention of everybody. It was indeed a classy knock from a classy player. After all, it was not about power hitting but was about proper timing and finding the gaps like never before. Moreover, the serenity of the ground made it even more beautiful. It was truly a masterclass.  

It was almost certain that India would win this match, and the Indian pace attack made sure that the game ended in quick time. The Visitors were bundled out for just 195 runs in their second innings as the Hosts won the game by an innings and 46 runs. Ishant Sharma was awarded the man of the match as well as the series award as Indians won the Test Series 2-0. Moreover, this was the first time when all 20 wickets were picked up by pacers in India. Indeed, a Historic Moment. The vision of Captain Kohli has finally rendered the results. At a time when he was appointed the Test Captain, he wanted to create an army of fast bowlers who would win him matches. Finally, that moment had come. 

Unfortunately, post this, everything went downhill for the Indian captain. Kohli, who scored his 27th test ton in this game, managed to score just 3 more tons in the next 5 years, as his batting average went down from 55 to 46.90 till the time he announced his retirement in May 2025. However, 2015-19 was the period that no Indian Test fan would ever forget. It was a delight to watch the Indian team play test matches. Thank you, Virat Kohli, for everything.

To watch the innings of Virat Kohli, Click Here. 

KING KOHLI SCRIPTS HISTORY

 

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Venue- Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad [February 9-13, 2017].

In February 2017, the Bangladeshi cricket team traveled to India to play one Test match. Surprisingly, this was the Bangladesh Cricket Team's first test tour of India. Initially the tour was planned for August 2016, but the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) stated that the first week of February appeared more feasible due to previous commitments made by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Interestingly, Mushfiqur Rahim, the captain of Bangladesh, downplayed the historic significance of the tour by stating that we want to play in a way that will make India want to welcome us again and again. He said, "This to me is just another Test match." The visitors as well as the hosts will, however, remember this test match for a very long time thanks to Virat Kohli and company. 

Indian Captain Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to go first. The pitch looked perfect for batting, and everyone was up for some brilliant batting masterclass. However, Taskin Ahmed picked up a wicket in the first over itself as the Indian scorecard read 2/1. The Visitors were off to a great start. But their happiness did not last long, as they faced the brute of the mighty Indian batting lineup. Murali Vijay and Wriddhiman scored gritty centuries, whereas Pujara, Rahane, and Jadeja also made valuable contributions from the bat.

However, the performance that stood at the top was another King Kohli masterclass. Captain Kohli scored yet another double hundred as Indians declared at a massive total of 687/6. In an innings that lasted for around 5 hours, Kohli hit a total of 24 boundaries to reach his 200. Interestingly, when he was batting on 199, he took the aerial route to get to his double hundred. It was truly a magnificent innings from the Indian captain. 

Moreover, India set a number of individual and team records during the Test match. Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara both set personal batting records during the first innings. With 1,605 runs, Pujara surpassed the record for most runs by a batsman in an Indian first-class season. Chandu Borde established the previous record in the 1964–65 season with 1,604 runs. With 1,168 test runs in a home season, Kohli broke the previous record. The previous record was held by Virender Sehwag, who scored 1,105 runs during the 2004–05 season. In addition, Kohli became the first player to score a double century in four straight Test Series. The previous record, shared by Rahul Dravid and Don Bradman, was three straight series.

Furthermore, India's declared first innings total of 687 was the first time a side in Test cricket had scored 600 or more in three straight innings. The Bangladeshis were nowhere close to their Indian counterparts as they bundled out in no time. Thus, handing Indians one more massive victory. This time of 208 runs. Moreover, this victory marked India's sixth consecutive test series win. It all started in September 2015 with a series win against Sri Lanka and continued till January 2018. Apart from that, Virat Kohli achieved the most consecutive Test victories of any Indian captain with this series victory over Bangladesh, going 19 straight without a loss.

King Kohli indeed scripted history in Hyderabad. It was truly the best of times. 

To watch the Innings of Virat Kohli, Click Here. 

KING KOHLI MASTERCLASS

 

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Venue- Perth Stadium, Perth [December 14-18, 2018].

The English pitches in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy are facing immense criticism from the cricket fans. The reason being that the pitches are flat and batting friendly. Moreover, the pitch is so much more favorable to the batsmen that the bowlers are literally nowhere in the contest. To be honest, it has become a contest of bat versus bat instead of bat versus ball. Interestingly, due to easy batting conditions, we are witnessing multiple centuries from players. The conditions have become so serene that a half-century is considered a missed opportunity. As a result, the matches have become quite boring.

The real fun begins when the contest between bat and ball is equal or tilted towards the bowlers. After all, this is when the real skill set of a batsman is checked. A hundred in such a condition are thus remembered for the ages. One such knock that comes to my mind is Virat Kohli's 123 in the Perth Stadium against the mighty Aussies in 2018.

India was playing against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. After losing the first test at Adelaide, the Australians prepared a green surface in Perth to unleash their pace attack. Moreover, their batsmen did their job as they piled up 326 in the first innings. 

In response, India was reeling at 8/2 when Captain Kohli came in the center. The game was on a knife-edge. One more wicket and the Aussies would have steamrolled us. And boy! What we witnessed next was something truly unbelievable. Captain Kohli got off his mark with an on-drive, which sent tremors around the Aussies. Everyone knew that we were in for a real contest now. 

The bowlers were bowling their best deliveries. The pitch had swing, seam, and pace. However, the captain stood strong and played it all like a king. It was literally hammer and tongs. In an innings that lasted more than 6 hours, Kohli played an incredible knock of 123 in which he hit 13 boundaries and 1 six. It was truly a delight to watch. However, the moment that grabbed all the headlines was his celebration after he got his hundred. Let the Bat do the talking. 

Even though India lost this test, the game will always be remembered for King Kohli's masterclass. At a time when batsmen struggled to get past 50, Kohli scored a magnificent hundred. 

To watch the Innings of Virat Kohli, Click Here.

To watch Ball by Ball Highlights, Click Here.

To watch the Aussie Team reaction on Virat Kohli's 100, Click Here. 

THE LEGEND OF KING KOHLI

 

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Venue- Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua [July 21-25, 2016].

In the summer of 2016, the Indian Cricket Team toured the West Indies and the United States to play 4 Tests and 2 T20 Internationals. Team India under Captain Kohli were in red-hot form. However, one can never underestimate the host nation in a test game. In a highly anticipated game, Indian Captain Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bat first on what looked like a batting paradise. Opener Shikhar Dhawan gave Indians a solid start, which allowed the middle order to play freely. 

In an overseas test series, it is important that the captain leads from the front. And boy! What a knock Kohli played. Captain Kohli batted for more than 6 hours and scored a magnificent double hundred. Furthermore, in his knock of 200, Kohli hit a total of 24 boundaries. It was truly a masterclass and delight to watch. Apart from the captain, Ashwin too scored a gritty 113 as India declared at a mammoth total of 566/8.  In response, the Windies were bowled out for just 243 in their first innings as Shami and Umesh Yadav made a mess of the Caribbean batting lineup. The duo picked 4 wickets each as the hosts bundled out quickly in the first innings. 

Since India got a massive 323-run lead in the first innings, Captain Kohli decided to enforce a follow-on. The Windies were under immense pressure, and the spin web of Ravichandran Ashwin made sure that the Indians won this game by an innings. Ashwin picked up 7 wickets in the second innings as the Windies were bowled out for just 231 in their second innings. 

Ravichandran Ashwin was awarded the Man of the Match award for his all-round performance as the Indians won the first test by an innings and 92 runs and took a 1-0 lead in the series.

To watch the Innings of Virat Kohli, Click Here. 

THE LIMITATIONS OF BAZBALL

 

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Venue- Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan [October 7-11, 2024].

Since Brendon McCullum has become the coach of the English Test side, the POMS have been playing a brand of cricket that has never been seen before. The Three Lions have redefined the way test cricket is played by their aggressive brand of cricket. Some call it entertaining, whereas others call it stupid. However, one cannot deny the fact that their style has taken the cricketing world by storm. 

However, the question that arises is, what is actually the Bazball style of play? The same can be best explained by the England-Pakistan game, which was played in Multan between October 7 and 11. On a flat pitch, the hosts amassed a massive 556 in 149 overs. It appeared that the game would end in a draw. However, this is when the Bazball style of play came in between. The English scored a whopping 823 in 150 overs and put the pressure back on the Pakistanis. Harry Brook, who is the poster boy of the Bazball style of cricket, scored a massive 317 off just 322 deliveries. Even Joe Root batted at a strike rate of 70 as he scored 262 of 375 deliveries. The duo literally made a mess of the Pakistani bowling line-up who was struggling to take wickets. The hosts looked simply clueless in front of the assault unleashed before them. It seemed that gave all hopes of taking a wicket and were waiting for the English declaration. Due to such an explosive batting performance, the visitors were thus successful in putting the pressure back on the hosts. Eventually, the hosts crumbled in the second innings, and the English ended up winning the game by an innings and 47 runs. To be honest, the game would have ended in a draw if the POMS would have batted like a typical test inning. 

But now the question that arises is why is everyone criticizing Bazball if it is bringing results than a draw? The answer to the same is that the Bazball style of play works in conditions where the pitch is flat and fast. The moment the pitch shows the signs of spin and swing, Bazball falls apart. The same was quite evident in the next 2 games wherein the Pakistani prepared a spin web, and the English lost both. 

To watch the innings of Harry Brook, Click Here.

To watch the innings of Joe Root, Click Here. 

THE BEN STOKES SHOW

 

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Venue- The Oval, London [September 13, 2023].

In the English summer of 2023, the New Zealand Cricket Team toured England to play 4 T20 Internationals and 4 ODIs. The tour was a part of the 2023 World Cup preparations for both sides. The T20 Series ended in a 2-2 draw, whereas the ODI series was leveled 1-1 before both the teams reached Oval for the penultimate game. In a must-win game, Kiwi Captain Tom Latham won the toss and elected to field first. 

Kiwi speedster Trent Boult came charging in in his initial overs and reduced England to 13/2 in 2.4 overs. It appeared that the Kiwis would steamroll the English in their backyard. However, this is when Ben Stokes joined Dawid Malan in the middle. The game was on a knife-edge. A couple more wickets and the Kiwis would have wrapped up this series in no time. 

Interestingly, what happened next was something truly unbelievable. Ben Stokes came charging against the Kiwis and produced a counterattack never seen before. Stokes scored a monumental 182 off just 124 deliveries (15 boundaries, 9 sixes) and took the game away from the Black Caps. He was quite unlucky that he missed his double hundred that day. However, the kind of game he displayed that day will forever be remembered. Be it pacer or spinner, everyone was hit out of the park. Moreover, his inning was a combination of both class and power hitting. It was truly a delight to watch one of the finest performances by one of the best players on the planet. Apart from Stokes, Malan scored a gritty 96 as the Hosts were bowled out for 368 in 48.1 overs. 

A target of 369 was never going to be an easy task for the Kiwis. Moreover, the fall of wickets at regular intervals made sure that the English maintained a grip over the game all throughout. Eventually the Visitors were bowled out for 187 in 39 overs as the Hosts won the game by 181 runs. 

Ben Stokes was awarded the Man of the Match award for the knock that will never be forgotten. 

To watch the Highlights of the Game, Click Here. 

To watch the Innings of Ben Stokes, Click Here.