5 most unexpected record holders in cricket

Cricket is a sport where numbers play a very important role. The nature of the game is such that it is capable of generating numerous records. In every series, every match that is played, either new records are set or the existing ones are broken. This is what fuels the interest of fans in the game.It is also often said that “Cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties”. One cannot really predict the outcome of a game until the last ball has been bowled. Often we get to see quite a few unpredictable performances that really bring a whole new level of excitement to the game This further stimulates the interest of fans in the game.When these unpredictable performances amalgamate with the numbers that are such an integral part of cricket, we get a few unexpected record holders. Let’s take a look at 5 of the most unexpected record holders in cricket:

#1 Misbah-ul-Haq - Fastest century in Test cricket (56 balls)

Misbah playing an unorthodox shot in an orthodox setting

This record perfectly epitomises the enigma that is Pakistan cricket. A batsman who has often been branded as ‘Tuk Tuk’ scored the fastest hundred (including the fastest Test fifty) against one of the best team sin the world and levelled the record for the fastest Test hundred set by the original Master Blaster Sir Viv Richards. What is even more surprising is that Misbah who has a strike rate of 73.71 in ODIs and a not so high strike-rate of 110.21 in T20Is (relatively less given it’s the T20 age) had a strike rate of 177.19 in this Test innings.

He surely had the perfect platform to launch an attack of this kind. The Aussies were on the ropes having conceded a lead of 309 runs in the first innings. He also did not face Mitch Johnson during the course of his innings. One, however needs to give him credit for the way he just tore into the Aussie bowlers from the word-go. His swashbuckling century was studded with 11 fours and 5 sixes, 3 of which came off one over from Steve Smith and came off 56 balls, thereby making him joint fastest Test centurion with Sir Viv Richards.

Not only did his innings propel Pakistan to a big total, it also gave the Pakistani bowlers a lot of time to have a crack at the Kangaroos. In the end, Pakistan crushed the Aussies by a whopping margin of 356 runs and wrapped up the series 2-0.

#2 James Anderson: Most expensive over in Test cricket (28 runs)

Jimmy is distraught having been taken to the cleaners.

He is one of the modern day bowling greats having picked up 380 wickets at an average of 29.72. Anderson is known for his impeccable line and length who gives nothing way to the batsmen. Moreover, a batsman of the calibre and class of Sachin Tendulkar was his bunny having dismissed him 9 times. So, ‘The King of Swing’ surely is the last person you’d expect to concede 28 runs in an over in a test match. Especially in a high-profile contest like the Ashes where even the smallest of slip-ups is a cardinal sin for both teams.

The attack that Bailey launched on Jimmy in that particular over was brutal. The first delivery was deftly put away over first slip for four. This was followed by a clean straight hit for six. He then got a couple of runs through the leg side which was followed by a hoick over backward square for four. The last 2 deliveries were dispatched with sheer disdain over long off and long on for 2 big sixes.

#3 Wasim Akram: Batsman to have hit most number of sixes in a Test innings

Waz during his knock of 257* vs Zimbabwe

Given the array of big hitters like Sir Viv Richards, Virender Sehwag, Chris Gayle, Shahid Afridi etc. who have played the game till date, it is surprising that the record for the most number of sixes in a Test innings is held by Wasim Akram, a lower-order batsman. Not that he was a mug with the bat. However, it is pretty surprising that he still holds the record given that Test cricket has changed a lot these days with the big number of ODIs and T20Is that are played.

Sure, this particular innings came against Zimbabwe, a lesser opponent. However, those were the heydays of Zimbabwean cricket wherein they had quite a few good players in their team. They posted a decent total of 375 in their first innings helped by centuries from Grant Flower and Paul Strang. In reply, Pakistan had their backs to the wall and were in dire straits at 183/6 when their captain walked in.

Right from the word go, the Sultan of Swing had decided that he’s gonna swing his bat around and is gonna play his shots. He was particularly harsh on the spinners and time and again effortlessly hoisted them over the straight boundaries. He was involved in a record 313 run partnership with Saqlain Mushtaq for the eighth wicket. Pakistan finished with a total of 553 and Waz remained unbeaten on 257 off 363 balls. His breathtaking innings comprised of 22 fours and 12 sixes. Ultimately, Pakistan could not win this game owing to some real stubborn batting by Zimbabwe whose cause was aided by bad light as well. However, his innings rescued Pakistan from a spot of bother.

#4 Australia: The losing team, each time a team following on has won a Test

Team India celebrating their historic win vs Australia

This is the team that has won the most number of Test matches (360) and has the highest winning percentage in test cricket (46.81%). The Aussies with their style of play are known to intimidate opponents and they do not give even a shred of a chance to their opponents to make their way back in the game. Given all of the above, it is pretty surprising that on all 3 occasions when a following on team has won a Test, the men from down under were at the receiving end. Moreover, 2 of these losses have come against arch-rivals England.

The first time, the Kangaroos lost after asking the other team to follow-on was in the 1894/95 Ashes. The Baggy Greens posted a big total of 586 thanks to Sydney Gregory's double hundred and George Giffens 161. The Poms in reply were dismissed for 325, handing the Aussies a 261 run lead. Jack Blackham, the Aussie skipper asked England to follow on and aided by Albert Ward's hundred and the starts that the other batsmen got England were bowled out for 437, thereby setting the Aussies a target of 177. In what was a tense finish, the Australians fell short by just 10 runs.

The second loss came in the famous Botham’s Ashes of 1981. Australia posted a total of 401 on the board thanks mainly to John Dyson’s century and captain Kim Hughes’ 89. Botham picked up 6 wickets and carried his bowling form into the English innings as well as he was the top scorer with 50 as England were shot out for 174. Captain Hughes asked England to follow on. Beefy was in a league of his own and powered by his 149, the 3 Lions managed 356 in their second essay. Having been set a victory target of 130, in sensational fashion, the Aussies were bowled out for 111 handing England an unlikely victory by 18 runs.

Laxman and Dravid after their epic stand

The third and perhaps the loss that must have hurt the Aussies most came in the 2001 Border-Gavaskar series. The then World champions came into this game having won 16 consecutive Tests. Australia posted a total of 445 in their first innings, with their captain Steve Waugh the top scorer. India in reply were bowled out for 171. With a lead of 274, Tugga must have thought they have the game by the scruff of the neck and asked India to follow on.

What followed was a lesson in guts and glory. India were in trouble at 232/4 when The Wall and the Very Very Special batsman joined hands. They batted through Day 4 without losing a wicket and took India to a match-winning position. Ganguly declared the Indian innings on 657/7 and the Aussies were set an improbable target of 384. ‘The Turbanator’ then spun a web around the Aussies as they were bowled out for 212 as India won the match by 171 runs.

#5 Rahul Dravid: Batsman bowled most number of times (55)

The Wall being breached

This surely has to be the most unexpected record of the lot. Dravid is the batsman with arguably the most compact defense in the history of the game. His defense was so solid that he was given the sobriquet of ‘The Wall’. However, that very defence has been breached the most number of times in Tests, a record 55 times.

Jammy’s career lasted 16 years from 1996 to 2012. It can be broken down into 2 different halves, the first from 1996-2004 and the other from 2005-2012. During the first half of his career, he was bowled 26 times. This is mainly because he was evolving as a batsman and was therefore bound to be a little vulnerable.

During the early part of the second half of his career, he was pretty solid and was ‘The Wall’ in every sense of the word. However, it was during the fag end of his career when his defence was breached time and again. Off the last 13 innings that the former Indian captain played, he was bowled in 9 of them. He had a particularly hard time on the tour of Australia wherein he was bowled 6 times in 8 innings. He was time and again troubled by deliveries coming into him.