5 times when India won a Test Match within three days

The Indian team is known for its sheer dominance at home in Test Cricket. One of the most challenging things for overseas teams is to face the Indian spinners on spin friendly wickets. Once Indian spinners weave their web, the opposition tends to lose hope very quickly.India has started off on a winning note against South Africa in the 4-Test series. The game ended in a mere 3 days.Here is a look at 5 more instances where India wrapped the game up within 3 days.

#1 India v Australia at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, November 2004

Harbhajan and Kartik cleaned Australia

It was the final match of the 4-match Test series. Though India had already lost the series, losing 2 out the earlier 3 matches, still that game is remembered as one of India’s most memorable victories.

In the first innings, India was bowled out for a meagre 104 with Rahul Dravid being the highest scorer, managing 31 runs. Australia in reply scored 203. Anil Kumble grabbed a five-for and Murali Kartik picked up 4 wickets.

India in the second outing put up a better show than the first innings, scoring 205 runs. VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar got half centuries and helped India set a target of 107 runs for Australia for victory.

And then the most miraculous thing happened. Spinners used the rank turner at the Wankhede and restricted Australia to just 93 runs. It took India just 136 minutes in the fourth innings to take all the 10 wickets. This time, Harbhajan Singh bagged 5 wickets and Kartik was again amongst the wickets.

#2 India v West Indies at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, November 2013

Tendulkar’s final Test

It was one of most iconic Tests in the Indian cricket history as it was the last international game for the master blaster Sachin Tendulkar. There was a huge build up prior to the game. Tendulkar was set to bat the last time at his home ground.

The game started with West Indies batting first. They were all out for 183 runs, Indian spinners again getting the better of the batsmen. Pragyan Ojha this time got 5 wickets.

India then came out to bat. There was huge amount of excitement amongst the crowd. They wanted to see their favourite hero bat. And the occasion came on the very first day. India lost the openers and Sachin walked out to bat, getting the loudest cheer anyone could ever get.

He batted beautifully until Darren Sammy caught him in the slips. Then the centurions Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma helped India to a mammoth score of 495.

The misery of the West Indies batsmen continued in the second innings as they were dismissed for 187. They surrendered against Ojha and Ravichandran Ashwin who got 5 and 4 wickets respectively.

The match ended with the emotional speech of Sachin Tendulkar which brought tears to the eyes of every Indian fan.

#3 India v Australia at Feroze Shah Kotla Stadium, Delhi, March 2013

India’s reply to series loss down under

This was the last match of the 4-match Border-Gavaskar Series. Earlier, India had suffered a 4-0 loss down under and they were seeking revenge to return the favour.

Australia batted first and got bowled out for 262 runs. Ashwin again proved to be India’s ace spinner as he took 5 wickets. India in response could manage a lead of only 10 runs and got all out for 272 runs.

The openers Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara scored half centuries. Nathan Lyon used the Kotla wicket to his advantage and picked up 7 wickets. In reply, Ravindra Jadeja then shone in the second innings with 5 wickets and stopped Australia from setting a big target.

No Australian batsmen could last long apart from Peter Siddle who scored a quick-fire fifty. They were eventually dismissed at the score of 164 runs.

India then was given a target of 155 runs, which was achieved without making too much fuss. Pujara scored a match winning 82 runs as India cruised to a 6 wicket win and completed a 4-0 whitewash over Australia.

#4 India v South Africa at Green Park Stadium, Kanpur, April 2008

Virender Sehwag and Sourav Ganguly of India celebrate the wicket of Graeme Smith

Prior to winning the current Test at Mohali, India had earlier defeated South Africa in 3 days when the tourists visited India in 2008 for a 3-match series. Going into the third Test at Kanpur, South Africa was leading the series 1-0. It was important for India to make a comeback.

Batting first, South Africa was all out for 265 runs. Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla made half-centuries as 5 of the Indian bowlers contributed to the wickets tally. Saurav Ganguly then continued on the merry run of his personal comeback and scored 87 runs to go with 50 made by VVS Laxman. Both helped India to a total of 325 and claim a vital lead of 60 runs.

In the second innings of South African batting, Harbhajan Singh and Virender Sehwag were all over the South African batsmen and ran through the line up. They were bowled out for just 121 runs in 55.5 overs.

India in the fourth innings, chasing a small total of 65 runs, lost just 2 wickets and achieved the target in 13.1 overs, hence levelling the series at one a piece.

#5 India v/s Bangladesh at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, May 2007

Wasim Jaffer and DInesh Karthik were among the Indian centurions in this Test – India’s biggest margin victory in Test cricket

This match included the instance when 4 of the Indian batsmen scored centuries in an innings. India batted first on a flat deck and declared at a giant score of 610/3. Wasim Jaffer, Dinesh Karthik, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar notched up tons and ensured that India didn’t require batting again in the match. Four of the Bangladeshi bowlers conceded more than 100 runs with the ball.

Bangladesh in response surrendered in the first innings. Indian bowlers ripped through the batting line up, dismissing them for 118 runs in just 37.2 overs. Zaheer Khan returned with a fifer. Bangladesh conceded a huge lead of 492 runs and was forced to follow on.

The second innings was not much different from the first as Bangladesh again crumbled against the Indian bowlers. They were bowled out for 253 runs. All Indian bowlers contributed in the quest for a victory.

India won by an innings and 239 runs, which is India’s biggest margin of victory in Test matches till date. With this win, India also wrapped up the series 1-0.