File Photo of Indian Cricket Test team.
While 'breach' usually doesn't entail respect, for team India it inundates applauses and bows. From breaching the Brisbane fortress in January to concluding 2021 on the high of Centurion heroics (only Asian team to win in Centurion), team India's cricket journey endured an elusive script this year. The oscillating pendulum, however, also handed India the World Test Championship loss and the T20 World Cup defeat during the trough.
Nonetheless, as 2021 wraps up, IndiaTV looks at 10 iconic moments from team India's cricketing journey this year.
Vihari-Ashwin Sydney heroics
Hamstring injury marred Hanuma Vihari's and Ravichandran Ashwin's aching back resolute to deny Australia a win at SCG has gone as one of the most valorous knocks in the cricketing history. Vihari (23 not out of 161) and Ashwin (39 not out of 128) batted for more than 42 overs to bring the match to a draw.
The Gabba Fortress
Indian team not only breached Australia's 32 year old legacy in Brisbane but also won the Border-Gavaskar series 2-1. The victory feels extra special simply because it came at a time when most of the Indian players were injured and fielding 11 players was a huge task for the visitors. Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar's partnership in the first innings followed by Pant's lion hearted 89* during the chase gave India a moment to savor for a lifetime.
England in India
India faced a crushing defeat in the opening Test against Joe Root's England where the England skipper also smashed his double hundred. However, after this India piped the Three Lions by not just winning the Test series 3-1 but also ODI series by 2-1 and T20I series 3-2. Ravichandran Ashwin's century on his home ground in Chennai was another celebratory moment for India in the whites.
Virat Kohli vs BCCI
The rift embroiled between Virat Kohli and the BCCI after Kohli voluntarily relinquished the T20I captaincy. Soon, the Indian player was sacked from the ODI captaincy by the board. While some reports state that the BCCI had given Kohli 48 hours leave the ODI captaincy, Kohli revealed something contrary to the board’s claims. In Kohli’s words, he was informed 90 minutes prior to India’s team selection (for South Africa) that he no longer holds the 50-over-game captaincy. The unwanted buildup of this mire has been since October. The matter has now been rested with Sourav Ganguly’s claims 'Leave it to BCCI.'
The same has also ignited the tussle between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after the latter was given the charge of the white-ball captaincy. With Rohit Sharma being ruled out of South Africa Test series because of an injury and the sideways rumours of Kohli missing the ODI series due to personal reasons, the clash between the Indian players was inadvertently fueled up. Virat Kohli refuted all these rumors saying that he will always be available for selection and Rohit has his full support before flying to South Africa.
Rohit Sharma's first overseas century
In the spree to stamp authority overseas, India registered win at Lord's and breached the Oval fortress (after 50 years) to romp home with 2-1 win in the Test series. Rohit Sharma's century at The Oval, which was his first overseas hundred was instrumental in bringing the series win which earlier stood levelled.
KL Rahul's Lord's century, Shami-Bumrah stand
While India registered their third Test win at the Mecca of Cricket- Lord's, KL Rahul etched his name in the Lord's honors board courtesy of his scintillating ton. Besides the overall effort, it was Bumrah-Shami's partnership that aided India to pull off an incredible heist. Mohammed Shami (56 no & 1/13 in 10 overs) and Jasprit Bumrah (34 no & 3/33 in 15 overs) wove a 89-run stand to give the visitors a 1-0 lead in the Test series.
World Test Championship defeat
Cruising their way to the final of the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship (2019-21), India couldn't get their hands on the ICC Test Mace. The rain truncated contest against New Zealand at The Rose Bowl, Southampton, the Kiwis won the high-octane match by eight wickets. The dismal show from the batters was the prime reason of India's defeat in the WTC Final. The atmosphere in team India's dressing room wasn't congenial and the team seemingly was seemingly disintegrated as per the reports that emerged just after the mega event.
Pakistan drubbed India in T20 World Cup
While an early ouster from the T20 World Cup 2021 was a bitter pill to swallow, India's hammering defeat against the arch rivals- Pakistan came as an unhealable wound. A 10-wicket win coming with 13 balls to spare speaks volumes of India's overall off-shore performance. With this loss, Pakistan defeated India for the first time in an ICC event, thus adding a black mark on the blotting paper.
Rahul Dravid chaired as India's head coach
Rahul Dravid succeeded Ravi Shastri as the head coach of India's men's side. Rahul, who took over the reigns from Shastri carries a rich experience in coaching- India's U-19 head coach, India A head coach, NCA Chief as a standby coach for Sri Lanka white-ball series. In the two year-term which culminates in 2023, Dravid has to shoulder major responsibilities during ICC T20 World Cup 2022, ICC 50-over World Cup 2023 and ICC World Test Championship in 2023 that led ahead in India's cricketing roster.
Indian women's valor in Australia
Team India's women showcased resolve and played a different brand of cricket during their tour to Australia. While Australia convincingly clinched the T20I series, India women ended Australia's 26-match winning streak in the ODIs to win the third game and concluding the 50-over series with a win.
Indian women exhibited some fine form to draw their first ever pink-ball test against. Smriti Mandhana smashed 127-run knock to become the first Indian woman to score a century in a pink-ball Test. This is also the first century by an Indian woman on Australian soil.
