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India has always been a powerhouse in the World cricket. They have been world-beaters and have proved consistently that they are one of the best in the business. Though India has been blessed with talented batsmen who have set the bar extremely high, the same has not been the case with the bowlers.
While the trend is changing in the recent past with 140kmph+ becoming a common affair, nothing can match the magnificence of a hat-trick and watching batsmen go back to the pavilion one after another. This piece is an attempt to encapsulate such performances that took our breath away. Take a look at the Indian hat-tricks over the years.
ODI Cricket:
Chetan Sharma
While taking a hat-trick is no mean feat, Chetan Sharma decided to go a step ahead and took a hat-trick in a World Cup match. He achieved this feat in the 1987 World Cup against New Zealand.
He clean bowled Ken Rutherford, Ian Smith, and Ewen Chatfield and ended with figures of 3-51. All of 5’3, this pocket dynamo made his debut at 17 and piled up some impressive performances. He became the first cricketer to score a limited over century and take a limited overs hat-trick and the first person to take a World Cup hat-trick.
A strike bowler and a reliable lower-order batsman, Sharma strung up many memorable performances in a career that was marred by injuries. He will always be remembered as one of India’s finest fast bowlers and Kapil Dev’s bowling partner through the 80’s.
Kapil Dev
This man has single-handedly changed the way Indian cricket has shaped up over the past four decades. Though Kapil Dev will forever be remembered as the captain of the World Cup-winning team in 1983, he was an exceptionally talented all-rounder and has played many a memorable innings all through his career.
Be it batting or bowling, he has always stepped up to the challenge and has lead from the front. The Haryana Hurricane added another feather to his cap when he took a hat-trick against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup decider in 1991 when he scalped the wickets of Roshan Mahanama, Sanath Jayasuriya, and Rumesh Ratnayake.
India won the final and Dev became only the second player to score an ODI hundred and take a limited overs hat-trick. He was named ‘Wisden Indian Cricketer Of The Century’ in 2002. Though he retired in 1994, India has never produced another limited overs hat-trick until today.
Test Cricket:
Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh is easily one of India’s best spinners and has spun the web over many legendary batsmen. So it’s no surprise that he has recorded the first ever hat-trick by an Indian in Test matches.
Bhajji has always churned out special performances against the Australians and he achieved this feat in the first innings of the second Test of the ‘2001 Border-Gavaskar’ trophy in Kolkata. He accounted for the dismissals of Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, and Shane Warne and claimed his first 5-wicket haul during the course of his innings.
Since then there was no looking back for the wily ‘Sardar’ and he went to become an absolute legend of the game and one of the greatest modern-day cricketers, clinching more than 700 international wickets. His doosras and aggressive batting has garnered praise from all quarters and his indomitable spirit makes him an inspiration for many.
Irfan Pathan
When Irfan Pathan first broke into the international scene, he seemed to be the man who could solve India’s long term woe of not having a quality all-rounder in their ranks. He became the second bowler to take a hat-trick in the first over of a Test match.
He attained this accomplishment in 2006 during the 3rd Test vs Pakistan in Karachi. Known for his prodigious swing, Pathan accounted for the wickets of heavyweights such as Salman Butt, Younis Khan, and Mohammed Yousuf.
With more than 250 international wickets, Pathan was a key member of the Indian outfit from 2005-2010. In a career full of ups and downs, Pathan was definitely more capable than what he served and will go down as an untapped talent who was marred by injuries and omissions.
However, this left-armer has a nerve of steel and has played a huge role in many memorable victories including the inaugural T20 World Cup final.
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