When India was Reborn on the Hells of Headingley | The Most Brutal Inning Ever | Ind v Eng - Cricket
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- Опубликовано: 10 авг 2023
- Then came Headingley, a historic match that would be remembered for years to come. It followed a bloodbath in the first test and a great escape in the second, as India faced the daunting challenge of playing on a pitch known as the death bed of foreign teams. The odds were stacked against them on this pacers paradise, where no spinning team had ever won.
Complicating things further were the crazy rumors circulating about them. From India having cheated their way to a draw in the previous match, facing accusations of intentionally bowling slowly to decrease the number of overs played to Sachin's inability to finish, Dravid obsession over perfection and Ganguly’s short temper
Amidst all this,
Given the failure to make a dent to the English batting lineup
Some crucial decisions had to taken before the match.
And it was during such a brain storming team meeting
That Anil Kumble and Rahul Dravid, suggested a bold strategy:
To rely on their strength rather than patching up their weakness
To field a spin-heavy lineup.
& This idea soon gained support across the board, despite the risks it posed on a pitch favoring pacers.
The captain, Sourav Ganguly, pacifically welcoming this aggressive attitude
Further doubling down on it
By batting first
The pitch was treacherous, swinging and seaming unpredictably, but Rahul Dravid and Sanjay Bangar stood firm, facing the English pacers with unwavering determination. Dravid, in particular, showcased his exceptional skills, weathering the storm while Sanjay Bangar supported him admirably.
Their partnership laid the foundation for a monumental innings, frustrating the English bowlers and gradually turning the match in India's favor. Rahul Dravid's patience and resilience were remarkable, earning praise from all corners. The opening day ended with India firmly in control, setting the stage for a dominant performance.
The following day saw the Indian batsmen piling on the runs, with Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, and Rahul Dravid himself contributing centuries. They batted with conviction, taking the score to unprecedented heights. England's bowlers were left stunned as the Indian middle order, often criticized, rose to the occasion and delivered a resounding response.
When India declared at a humongous 628 for 8, it was the second-highest total ever on foreign soil. England, now under immense pressure, struggled to withstand the Indian bowling attack. They crumbled, losing wickets at regular intervals. Despite a valiant effort from Alec Stewart, the English team succumbed to 273 all out in their first innings.
They now facing the humiliation of follow on
On whereas other would have taken the more defensive approach
Dada seemed to have imbibed the doctrine of offense is the best Defence
Promptly sending England to bat again
Where once again
Indian spinners
Kumble and Harbhajan were to have a feast
taking wickets and leaving England in disarray.
And though captain Nasser Hussain and Alec Stewart would hold on to extend the test to the last day.
It would not be enough
India emerged victorious by an innings and 46 runs, securing their highest margin of victory on English soil.
This test match and the entire series became a watershed moment for Indian cricket. It ignited a spark and belief that the Indian team could perform away from home, marking a turning point in their ascent to the top. It showcased the team's resilience, determination, and ability to overcome odds, leaving a lasting impact on Indian cricket history.
While the final test ended in a draw, the significance of the series remained. India had triumphed, proving their mettle and setting the stage for future successes. It was a remarkable journey, starting from a miffed Flintoff getting disgruntled over a dinner
Culminating with a daring decision
in a series that would become a legend in the annals of cricket.
#cricket #story #legend
The number of times Saurav put his career on line for a decision & then come out tops is unreal ...
Dravid's physical pain was seemingly no match to the bowlers' mental pain lol
Today’s people might never understand why Dada’s team was just more than a team, it still gives me goosebumps. The golden days
And there's this new Indian team, who drops Ashwin, their star performer throughout the WTC in final.
While most touring teams now fall like a pack of cards in front of a good pace attack, that was not the case with Dravid. He could take the best they have to throw , blunt it out and still make runs for his team. A once in an era batsman, fortunate to have grown up in that era.
This match truly special to watch it livd for 5 days....watching Rahul toil for 1.5 days and then Sachin and Saurav destroy and demoralize England was truly a site to behold...not many times did we see all the "Big 3" score hundreds...this match was one of them
So glad to have witnessed this era of cricket during my college days. Sachin, Dada, Dravid, Laxman, Kumble, Bhajji, Sehwag - legends!!
Rahul's 148 is legitimately the best Indian innings in that era imo, apart from Laxman's 281
IMHO that Dravid's innings was the best immings by an indian batter in last 30 years. The context before the series, the technical and mental challange and the conditions. He was MoM even though Sachin scored around 50 more runs.
I have absolutely mad respect for the ICT from late 90s and early 2000s.....they are basically the ones who made Indian cricketers believe that anything is possible, they are the ones that kept pushing ICT towards being the best in the world and they inspired Dhoni and company that would take that team to the finishing line in the 2011 WorldCup.....the journey of ICT to the top must always be remembered and respected by teens like me who love this game
as a Dravid fan I was crying like a baby. your narration is awesome. Proud to be a Dravidian ❤️
These tests were nothing less than a 5 day long thriller movie 😍 The stories were written on the field to be remembered forever 😎
Still remember that call by Dada when Umpires offered him to walk off due to bad light. It was carnage and for a change batting team went for the blood in detoriating conditions. One of few such occasions when no T20 can replace the thrill of watching things unfold
When people today say India is where they are because of the current captains Dhoni, Kohli and Sharma when the real cricket fans know that it was Dada who laid the foundation of Indian Cricket to reach where it is and to instill the confidence and the never back down spirit that we get to see in series like Australia a couple years ago. All of this started during Dada's era because my dad always says that Indian cricket is where it is right now because of the sacrifices of Dada and Dravid. Dada taught the generations to never let go of matches till the last ball.
As a Pakistani, and a cricketing fan, my respect for the Indian team rose solely for how fearless Indian cricket played back in the days.
Kumble and his camera wow some great moments indeed.
I remember this match as one of utter disbelief.
I remember this match like it was yesterday. India winning the test by an innings on the English soil after being 0-1 down in the series. Dada choosing to bat first on a green and damp wicket. Dravid proved himself as one of the greatest test batsmen of all times, the masterclass from Sachin, Dada’s massive sixes to Giles, a breathless Geoffrey Boycott in the commentary box who was just a fan of Dada of a different level. An outstanding bowling performance by India, and not to forget Sanjay Bangar’s contribution. This test victory was so important that it gave us a belief that our team can win test matches overseas. Next year, India had another great victory in Adelaide. Golden years!
Thank you cricket Raaz for showing such an inspirational rising of India's journey on overseas, 🙌 respect
This was great - I am awed not just by India's performance, but by Ganguly's leadership. The man has a big heart and a backbone made of steel.