Indian batsman Cheteshwar pujara has revealed his top 5 moments in Indian cricket history ahead of the country’s 500th Test, starting on Thursday against New Zealand at the Green park stadium in Kanpur.
The list includes several memorable moments and we assess each moment and its relevance to Indian cricket.
5.VVS Laxman’s 81 against Australia in Mohali (2010)
“I remember I was part of the squad and he was having a very good partnership with Ishant Sharma. But when he got out, Pragyan Ojha went in and he made a mistake when they were batting. I still remember Laxman getting angry on Ojha, he said something, I dont remember what it was, but it was really funny for all of us. At the same time, we were all nervous and in the end, Laxman bhai and Ojha batted really well and won the match for us,”
India were in serious trouble at 124 for 8, chasing 216 against Australia in Mohali, when Ishant Sharma joined his senior partner, who was battling back spasms and put forth a stand of 81 runs to bring their side back into the match.
Ishant fell for 31 but Laxman carried on and eventually sealed a sensational win for India to make it 1-0 in the two-match Test series.
4.Sachin Tendulkar’s 155 against Australia in Chennai (1998)
“We all know the way Shane Warne was bowling in the rough and he was turning the ball big. But Sachin Tendulkar took him and scored 155 not out in the second innings. I enjoyed the innings the most,”
The series was billed as the contest between the best batsman in the game and the best spinner in the game, at the time. It was Warne, who took the early upper hand, dismissing Tendulkar cheaply in the first innings.
But as all champions do, the right-hander gave back a fitting reply second time around round, sweeping the leg-spinner towards the mid-wicket fence and utilising the crease to negate the ball, when pitched short.
The innings paved the way for resounding Indian win by 179 runs.
3.VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid’s partnership of 376 runs in Kolkata(2001)
“You never want India to lose and when we were followed on, I thought that we need to save this Test match. But they want on and put up a triple hundred partnership. We were in a very good position and then we went on to win the Test match,”
Few moments in Indian cricket have as much siginificance as the 2001 Kolkata Test against Australia. After losing convincingly in Mumbai, India were once again in the doldrums at the Eden Gardens, trailing by 274 runs and being asked to follow-on.
But that’s when an unforgettable turnaround began as Laxman, promoted to Number 3 and Dravid, demoted to Number 6, put on 376 runs for the 5th wicket and laying the foundation for an epic comeback.
Chasing 384 in the final innings, Australia crumbled towards the fag end of Day 5, losing by 171 runs and handing India an inspiring series-leveling win.
2.Anil Kumble’s 10 for 74 against Pakistan in New Delhi(1999)
“I was praying he gets the last one. I was watching it live on TV and when they were nine dowm, I was hoping that he gets the last one. When he did, it was the ultimate moment for me and now I have an opportunity to work with him, as the coach of the Indian team,”
After India had lost narrowly at Chennai, they needed to win at the Kotla to level the series. Chasing 420 runs for an historic series win on Indian soil, Pakistan found themselves at 101 for no loss, when the Anil Kumble show began.
The leg-spinner removed Shahid Afridi and broke the back of the line-up by removing the middle-order cheaply. At 207 for 9, history was made as Wasim Akram inside-edged a ball and VVS Laxman latched on to it to seal a historic feat.
Kumble had become just the second bowler ever, after Jim Laker to take all 10 wickets in a single innings and it is a moment that is till date spoken about whenever we speak of India-Pakistan cricket.
1.Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid make their Test debuts at Lord’s(1996)
“Both of them are my idols and I was eight years old, watching them play on TV. I enjoyed their debut Tet innings,”
After Navjot Sidhu had left the tour and Sanjay Manjrekar failed a fitness test, India had no option but to include two young tyros in Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid in the side for the second Test against England at Lord’s.
Both players justified their selection into the team, by making vital contributions to the team’s cause. Ganguly joined an elite list of Indian criccketers to score a ton on Test debut, while Dravid fell short by 5 runs.
The two also batted together and put on 94 runs for the 6th wicket and the stage had been set then and there for two great careers.
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