10 memorable cricket moments that have occurred at Bengaluru over the years

One of the best in the worldThe Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru will play host to the second Test of the India-South Africa series from Saturday. The ground has seen many a memorable moment both in Test and ODI cricket and many of them are still remembered by fans across the globe.Here are 10 of the most memorable moments that happened at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

#10 Ricky Ponting finally succeeds in India

Ricky Ponting is ecstatic after reaching his ton

If there was one country where Ricky Ponting couldn't get going at all, it was India. He had had absolutely harrowing time in 2001, where scored 17 runs in 3 Tests. In the following tour in 2004, he couldn't play in the opening three Tests before returning for the final Test and failing on a rank turner in Mumbai.

The right-hander arrived in India in 2008 with extra determination to succeed and finally managed to get the monkey off his back, by scoring a ton in the opening Test at the Chinnaswamy Stadium and heave a huge sigh of relief.

#9 The India-England epic

Sachin Tendulkar played a gem against England

After winning their respective opening matches, India and England arrived in Bengaluru to win their second straight game and keep a clean sheet in the tournament. What unfolded was a thrilling game of cricket with over 650 runs, two hundreds - one from Sachin Tendulkar and another from Andrew Strauss, a terrific comeback from the hosts and an epic six by the number 11 which eventually meant that the game ended in a memorable tie.

The match also had a touch of controversy with Ian Bell adjudged not out despite the ball clearly hitting the stumps, owing to a 2.5 m rule.

#8 When Pujara burst on to the scene

Cheteshwar Pujara announced himself at the Chinnaswamy Stadium

VVS Laxman helped India win the Mohali Test of 2010 against Australia, despite battling severe back spasms. Those spasms eventually prevented him from taking part in the next Test at Bengaluru, thereby paving the way for a 22-year-old Cheteshwar Pujara to take centre stage.

While the first innings didn't prove to be fruitful, it was in the second essay that the right-hander showed his worth when he played a fine knock of 72 while batting at 3 and helped his side chase down 209 comfortably and win the series 2-0.

Pujara would eventually replace his idol Rahul Dravid at that spot and has since overcome many obstacles to once-it-for-all seal his spot, thanks to yet another excellent knock last month in Sri Lanka.

#7 Ishant Sharma\'s maiden five-wicket haul

Ishant Sharma recorded his maiden five-wicket haul

After putting up 626 runs on the board, thanks to centuries from Yuvraj Singh and Irfan Pathan and a double hundred from Sourav Ganguly, it was time for the Pakistan batsmen to make merry on a docile pitch at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

All the Indian bowlers went for runs without making regular strikes into the opposition line-up, but one man who bowled lion-heartedly and was rewarded with a five-wicket haul was Ishant Sharma who delivered 33.1overs and picked up figures of 5 for 118 that helped India take the lead in the first innings.

Like is the case with all placid pitches, the chances of a result are always slim and that seemed the case until captain Anil Kumble came into his own to leave Pakistan reeling at 154 for 7 and 220 runs away from a win.

But bad light had the last laugh in the contest and both teams had to settle for a draw in the end. It also meant India clinched the series 1-0.

#6 Inzamam Ul-Haq\'a memorable century on his 100th Test

Inzamam Ul-Haq had a very memorable 100th Test

Pakistan came into the third and final Test in the series in 2005 against India, hoping to make it 1-1 after losing the second encounter in Kolkata. It was a memorable match for the visitors captain Inzamam-Ul-Haq who was playing his 100th Test and after winning the toss, he helped his side reach 570 in their first innings, by scoring a 264-ball 164.

He made another contribution in the second innings and the skippered the side on the final day to a memorable 168 run win and round-off a very satisfying Test match for him and his side.

#5 When Michael Vaughan handled the ball

Michael Vaughan was given handled the ball in the Test match at Bengaluru

India entered the final match of their three-match Test series against England in Bangalore in 2001, hoping to level the series at 1-1. The visitors were well positioned on the opening day with Mark Butcher, Nasser Hussain and Michael Vaughan putting up a good foundation.

However, drama unfolded in the 68th over of the innings, when Vaughan tried to sweep a ball of Indian off-spinner Sarandeep Singh and the next moment grabbed the ball with his right hand to prevent it from rolling onto the stumps.

Sensing an opportunity to get the right-hander out, the Indians rightfully appealed for a handled the ball dismissal and were given the decision in their favour as Vaughan had to go back to the pavillion for 64.

The test eventually ended in a draw and India won the series 1-0.

#4 Anil Kumble scales 100, 300 and 400

Anil Kumble waves to the crowd after taking his 400th scalp

In a glittering career that lasted 18 years, Anil Kumble picked up wickets around the world. There were some important moments in his career which also happened at his home ground in Bangalore.

Like when he got the lynchpin of the New Zealand batting at the time Martin Crowe out for 11 and thereby claiming his 100th Test victim in 1995. Or when he trapped Matthew Hoggard lbw in the Test in 2001 to reach mount 300.

He also got his 400th Test scalp at the same venue when he bowled Simon Katich in the Test in 2004. Kumble played his final international game at home in 2008 and failed to pick up a single wicket in that encounter.

#3 Sunil Gavaskar stands up on a minefield

Sunil Gavaskar didn't get the desired farewell

Any player would wish to finish off his international career on a winning note. But it wasn't the case with one of India’s greatest batsman, Sunil Gavaskar. The right-hander played his final Test at Bangalore on an absolute minefield against the likes of Wasim Akram, Imran Khan, Tauseef Ahmed and Iqbal Qasim and carved out a 96 in his final innings when India was chasing 221 for a win.

Unfortunately for the hosts, his wickets at a crucial juncture led to a minor collapse, which proved to be the death knell as India lost by 16 runs to hand Pakistan a 1-0 series win.

#2 India book semifinal berth

Venkatesh Prasad celebrates the wicket of Aamir Sohail

India-Pakistan encounters are always filled with high drama and the intensity would expectedly rise further if it's a World Cup encounter. It was March 1996 and the two team squared off one in the quarterfinal of the 1996 World Cup.

Mohammad Azharuddin, the Indian captain won the toss and opted to bat and thanks to a 93 from opener Navjot Sidhu and a 25 ball 45 from Ajay Jadeja meant the Indians posted a competitive 287 for 8 in their 50 overs.

In reply, Pakistan got off to an absolute flyer with Aamir Sohail and Saeed Anwar giving their sides a blazing start. The drama intensified when the former pointed to a certain area in the field in the 15th over after smashing a boundary off Venkatesh Prasad as if to say he is going to him in that area in the next ball.

What happened next was the stuff of legends. Prasad clean bowled Sohail and indicated the route to the dressing room, causing the massive crowd at the stadium to go wild. The wicket of the left-hander proved to be a big turning point as it opened the gate for India and despite the Pakistan middle-order trying its best, they couldn't help their side cross the line and they fell short by 39 runs to get eliminated in the quarterfinal stage.

#1 Two future legends start their innings

Gordon Greenidge and Vivian Richards made their debuts at Bangalore

The year was 1974. The West Indies were in India for a five-match Test series, the first of which was scheduled for the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. Thanks to an all-round performance with the bat, ball and in the field, the visitors thumped India by 267 runs.

The Test match saw the birth of two future superstars in Gordon Greenidge and Vivian Richards, both of whom made their Test debuts. Both of them had contrasting debuts, though. While, on one hand, Greenidge scored a 93 and 107 in each innings, Richards was dismissed for 3 and 7.

Few, though, knew that both players would form the backbone of the West Indies batting line-up in the coming years and would turn out to two all-time greats of the game in the coming years.