Top 5 Test innings by Indian batsmen in the last decade

Ajinkya Rahane (103 vs England, Lord’s, 2014)

Ajinkya Rahane scored a brilliant hundred on an absolute green-top at Lord's

After the first match of this series was played on a pitch deemed too flat and boring, England demanded a green-top for the second Test. That’s what they got at the iconic Lord’s. In the entire decade, India probably never played on a pitch this grassy.

When England won the toss and put India in to bat, the visitors were in a tough spot. With Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad in the England line-up, batting was going to be a very tough task for the Indian line-up.

Though the English new ball bowlers bowled badly and didn’t utilise the conditions well enough, they still caused enough problems to reduce India to 145/7. But Ajinkya Rahane stood like a wall and batted with great skill and mastery.

By keeping Anderson and Broad and their supporting bowlers at bay, Rahane took India to a very respectable score of 295 and scored a brilliant century himself. He was dismissed only when Anderson took a great reflex catch, otherwise, the Mumbai batsman may have gone on to score even more.

This innings proved to be the difference and won the match for India. Considering the conditions, the bowling attack and the lack of support – the next highest score in the Indian innings was 36 – this innings ranks among the finest.