5 Indian batsmen for whom Wankhede was a happy hunting ground

Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar had a good time in his own backyard

The Wankhede has probably given India it’s proudest sporting moment when MS Dhoni hit the winning six to lift the 2011 ODI World Cup. However, it has an equally illustrious Test history. It was the third international venue in Mumbai after the Gymkhana Ground and the Brabourne Stadium. The first match was played in 1975 by India against West Indies, which the visitors won.

The ground has seen many a batsman rise up from the ranks of domestic cricket to become legends and it comes as no surprise that quite a few batsmen who did well at Wankhede in international matches played for the Mumbai side in the Ranji Trophy. Here we take a look at batsmen with most runs at the Wankhede. Clive Lloyd has the most runs of all visiting batsmen – 355 at a staggering 177.5 in just 2 Tests.

Mind you, in terms of runs scored at a venue by one particular batsman, the Wankhede isn’t really up there with the rest of the world (Eden Gardens is the first of all venues in India, 37th, thanks to VVS Laxman scoring 1217 of his Test runs there!)

#1 Sunil Gavaskar – 1122 runs at 56.1

Gavaskar is the only batsman to have scored more than a thousand runs at the Wankhede. He did so in 11 matches and 20 innings, the most number of innings played at the Wankhede by any batsman. Gavaskar is also one of only three batsmen to have scored a double century (Clive Lloyd and Vinod Kambli are the other two).

His highest score of 205 came during an epic 397-minute stay against West Indian bowlers, facing 342 balls, when India scored 424 batting first, the second highest score being 52. Gavaskar scored another 73 runs in the second innings, taking his match tally to 278, the second-highest tally by an Indian captain, just behind his own tally of 289 runs also against the West Indies at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

Gavaskar had quite a few productive outings at the Wankhede, scoring 5 centuries and 3 half-centuries.

#2 Sachin Tendulkar – 921 runs at 48.47

Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar always had a special bond with Wankhede

Sachin, surprisingly enough, didn’t do as well at Wankhede as he did at some of the other venues in India, despite it being his home ground. Although second on this list, Sachin averaged way below his international Test average of 53.78. Sachin’s conversion rate has also suffered here. The Little Master managed 8 half-centuries, the most by any batsman on this ground, but just one century, with a high-score of 148 scored against Sri Lanka.

In 19 innings in 11 Tests, Sachin came close to a century multiple times, against West Indies, coincidentally, but never reached the three-figure mark. It was also here, that he played his farewell Test, the 200th, against West Indies, scoring 74, calling it curtains on his international career.

#3 Dilip Vengsarkar – 631 runs at 48.53

Dilip Vengsarkar
Dilip Vengsarkar: Another Mumbaikar who loved the Wankhede

2 centuries and 2 half-centuries in 17 innings across 10 Tests is not a bad effort, especially considering his overall Test average is 42.13, a good 6 runs less than his average at Wankhede. Both centuries came in drawn Tests, against good sides, Australia and West Indies.

Vengsarkar, who played for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, has a high-score of 164* at Wankhede, despite scoring just one half-century in his first innings at this venue.

#4 Rahul Dravid – 619 runs at 56.27

 Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid

India’s most dependable batsman got a chance to play just 7 tests at Wankhede. Nevertheless, he managed 4 half-centuries and a century in 13 innings, with a high score of 100* after which he was retired hurt. India eventually won that game against West Indies by an innings and 112 runs.

Characteristic of him, Dravid, once again was overshadowed by Virender Sehwag in that innings, the latter scoring a blistering 147 in a double century opening partnership with Sanjay Bangar. Dravid had three scores of 80 and above at this venue, missing out on a century narrowly each time.

#5 Syed Kirmani - 477 runs at 47.70

Syed Kirmani batting
Syed Kirmani

India’s flamboyant wicket-keeper would have loved to carry Wankhede around in his pocket, wherever he went. In 88 Tests, Kirmani averaged 27. But in 9 Tests at Wankhede, he scored 20 runs more runs per dismissal. Both the centuries Kirmani hit in his career came at the Wankhede, one against Australia in a match that India won by an innings and 100 runs and one against England in a match where India won by 8 wickets.

The match against England would be remembered for the 235-run seventh wicket partnership between Kirmani and Ravi Shastri, who scored 142, pushing India’s score to 465 and giving the team a more than handy lead of 270 runs after the first innings, making it easy for the home tea in their final innings chase. Shastri is, in fact, sixth on the list of highest run-getters at Wankhede with 457 runs at 57.12.

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Edited by Staff Editor