The much-awaited Test series between India and Australia commences from 23rd February. Over the years, the cricketing arena has witnessed fierce battles between players from both the sides, may it be on the field or off the field. The last Test series between the two nations was played in the 2014-15 season during which the then captain of Indian side, MS Dhoni announced his retirement from the longest format of the game and shocked cricket fans worldwide.
Also Read: India vs Australia 2017: 5 key player battles to watch out for
This time, the Kangaroos visit the Indian shores after a gap of four years to take the revenge of their 2013 whitewash. The Aussies have been on tour to Indian several times in the last decade or two, and fans have savoured some memorable innings from the batsmen. But very few remember the heroics of the bowlers who eventually are responsible for the teams to win a Test match.
This gives us the opportunity to revisit the top spells by an Indian bowler against the mighty Aussies in India.
#5 Ravichandran Ashwin – 7/103, Chennai, 2013
Australia, led by Michael Clarke, visited India in 2013 for the four-Test series, the first of which was in Chennai. Australia won the toss and was placed at 64/0 after the first hour of the day.
Ashwin came into the attack and soon scalped the opener Ed Cowan and No. 3 Phil Hughes. Post lunch, Ashwin returned more menacingly and pinned Watson, Warner and Wade in front of the stumps to reduce Aussies to 153/5. Even after the loss of 5 wickets, on the back of Clarke’s century, Australia seemed to be posting a respectable total by the end of the first day.
But again, Ashwin picked up an important scalp of Moises Henriques on 68 to tilt the balance in India’s favour in the last over of the day. Eventually, Australia were bowled out for 380, thanks to some lower order resistance; Ashwin finished with his best figures of 7/103.
India, with the help of Dhoni’s scintillating double hundred, ended their first innings with a lead of 192 over the visitors. In the second innings, Australia wilted under the pressure and Ashwin once again picked up a 5-fer. India easily won the match by eight wickets to take the lead in the series.
MS Dhoni received the Man of the Match award but Ashwin deserved a lot of the credit, too, for picking up 12 wickets in the match, and significantly, seven of them in the first innings.
#4 Javagal Srinath – 3/80, Kolkata, 1998
The India-Australia series was then named as Border-Gavaskar trophy and to regain that the Mark Taylor-led Australian side toured India in 1998. In the very first match of the series in Chennai, they lost by 179 runs.
After the drubbing in the series opener, the demoralised Aussies came out to bat first at Eden Gardens with the hope of levelling the series. But their confidence was dented further when India’s premier fast bowler, Javagal Srinath grabbed the wickets of Michael Slater and Blewett in the very first over of the match. Slater was caught by Dravid in the slips and Blewett by Mongia behind the wickets. Few overs later, Srinath struck again to dismiss Mark Waugh, one of Australia’s best batsmen and reduced Australia to 15/3.
(Video Courtesy: robelinda2 YouTube Channel)
Australia never recovered from these blows and were bowled out for 233. India in their first essay scored a mammoth 633 runs with each one of their top six going past fifty. Australia again crumbled in the second innings and lost the match by an innings and 219 runs.
Everyone hailed the performance of the Indian batting but it was Srinath’s excellent opening spell on day one which scripted one of the best Test victories for India.
#3 Murali Karthik – 3/32, Mumbai, 2004
Australia visited India in 2004 and were considered the strongest touring side ever. It also showed in their performance as they clinched the series in Nagpur itself, the third Test of the four-match series making the final Mumbai Test a dead rubber. The atmosphere and result of the match later proved that none of the India-Australia encounters could be considered as lifeless.
India won the toss and could only muster 104 runs against a strong Australian bowling attack. India too bowled well but Australia managed to take an important lead of 99 runs on a sluggish pitch. The hosts looked good at one stage at 182/4 on the back of half-centuries from Laxman and Tendulkar before Michael Clarke unfurled his golden arm and secured career best figures of 6/9. India were bowled out for 205 in the second innings with the lead of only 106 runs and staring at a defeat.
(Video Courtesy: Darting Eagles YouTube Channel)
Australia began their chase confidently and hoped to seal the series 3-0. But Murali Karthik bowled with extreme accuracy to scalp prize wickets of Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn and Clarke. Ponting was caught off Laxman at second slip while Martyn, the most assured batsman of the series, was trapped in front on the back foot in the same over. Michael Clarke was bowled few overs later with the superb quicker ball from the left armer.
In due course, Australia were dismissed for only 93 runs and India registered a highly unlikely victory by 13 runs. Murali Karthik was given the Man of the Match for picking up the important wickets. This was one of the best spells by an Indian spinner as Karthik broke the back of the mighty Aussie lineup.
#2 Anil Kumble 7/48, Chennai, 2004
Anil Kumble, the current coach of Indian cricket team, has to make this list thanks to his incredible performances against his favourite opposition, Australia. India hosted Australia for a four-match Test series in 2004. Australia, the No. 1 team in the world then, had won the first test comfortably by 217 runs.
Australia won the toss in the second Test in Chennai and elected to bat. As expected, there was no help for bowlers on the first day and the visitors started strongly with the score reading 136/0. Harbhajan dismissed the openers in the space of two balls which added energy to the Indian camp.
Then Kumble, with his experience, took over and triggered a collapse. Kumble first scalped Damien Martyn who was looking to settle; Darren Lehmann followed for a duck and the slide continued with one batsman after the other sent back to the pavilion by Kumble’s guile and accuracy. Apart from Martyn and Lehmann, Kumble picked up key wickets of Clarke and Gilchrist, and then the tail could not resist the legendary leg-spinner’s wily bowling.
Australia were bundled out for a meagre total of 235 from a strong position of 136/0 and 189/2, and Kumble finished with brilliant figures of 7/48. India batted well to take a lead of 141 runs but Australia in their second attempt, survived a scare of being bowled out early thanks to Martyn’s stroke-filled century and lower order resistance.
The match ended in a draw as rain played spoilsport but Kumble deservedly won the Man of the Match award for one of his best spells in Test cricket.
#1 Harbhajan Singh 6/133, Chennai, 2001
Harbhajan has always been the nemesis of the Kangaroos. Very few Indian fans will forget India’s famous win in 2001 after conceding the follow-on. Rahul Dravid and Laxman were the heroes while batting and Harbhajan Singh was at his best with the ball and delivered a match-winning spell in the second innings.
The series was nicely poised with both teams locked at 1-1 going into the decider at Chennai. Australia, led by Steve Waugh won the toss and chose to bat first. On the flat pitch, the Aussie batsmen plundered runs and ended day one at 326/3. Matthew Hayden was at his belligerent best unbeaten on 147 and hungry for more runs.
(Video Courtesy: AmazingCricket2030 YouTube Channel)
Nobody gave India a chance and thought India should go for a draw now presuming Australia would score around 600. But Harbhajan Singh wreaked havoc with the ball on day 2. It all started with the dismissal of Steve Waugh who was given out for handling the ball. Then Ricky Ponting was stumped off the very next ball for a duck.
Gilchrist too made a solitary run before being trapped plumb in front by the offspinner. Shane Warne, Collin Miller and Jason Gillespie all bagged ducks in an attempt to hit Harbhajan out of the ground. Meanwhile, Hayden completed his maiden double century before being his seventh scalp. Australia collapsed from being 340/3 to 391 all out.
India batted well in their first innings to score to take a lead of 110 runs. Once again, Australia succumbed under pressure and were eventually bowled out for 264 setting India a target of 155 which the hosts achieved with two wickets to spare. As expected Harbhajan was declared Man of the Match for his 15 wickets in the match.
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