#3 Mohammad Azharuddin scores an unbeaten 163 against the Aussies – March 1998
There is no doubt that playing against the Aussies gets the Indian team fired-up to a whole new level. When Australia were touring India in the 1997/98 season, they had been handed a defeat in the first Test at Chennai by the impressive Indians, led by the successful but controversial Mohammad Azharuddin, thanks to a Sachin Tendulkar special (155).
When the second Test match came around at Kolkata, India were again on top after the home team bowlers did a great job of dismissing the Aussies for 233 in the first innings on an easy wicket. When the Indian team walked out to bat, they showed no mercy as the openers VVS Laxman (95) and Navjot Singh Sidhu (97) gave a wonderful start putting on 191 runs together.
Rahul Dravid chipped in with a masterful 86 and Sachin Tendulkar continued his form from Chennai as he went on a full-out assault on the Aussie bowlers scoring a quick-fire 79. Amidst all this, the captain, Azhar scored his fifth century in six Tests at the Eden Gardens, and it was one of his masterpieces: 163 not out with 18 fours and three sixes. He took his time at the beginning, but once the bowlers tired, Azharuddin cut loose. He put on a stand of 158 runs with Sourav Ganguly (65) as India amassed a total of 633.
India went on to win the Test match by an innings and 219 runs, thanks to another brilliant bowling performance by man of the match Javagal Srinath and Anil Kumble.
But it was Azhar who was the true architect of this huge victory, playing a captain’s knock, helping India seal the series win.
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