India’s top 3 Test moments in 2019
Team India, under Virat Kohli, were unassailable in Tests in 2019. They played a total of eight Tests in the year, winning seven of them and drawing one.
The only Test they could not win in 2019 was the rain-affected stalemate against Australia at Sydney in the New Year Test. After that, they defeated West Indies in the Caribbean 2-0 and whitewashed South Africa at home 3-0 before going on to conquer Bangladesh 2-0, also at home.
The Indian pacers led the way with Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah (before getting injured) all making significant contributions during the course of the year. Their performance hit a peak when they picked up all the wickets to fall in India’s maiden pink-ball Test.
Skipper Kohli continued to shine as a batsman while vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane returned to much-needed form.
With India’s Test journey for 2019 over, here’s a recap of the team’s top three moments in a memorable year.
Also see - Ranji schedule
#3 Jasprit Bumrah’s hat-trick at Jamaica
Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah became the third Indian to claim a Test hat-trick when he picked up three wickets off consecutive balls in the second Test against West Indies at Jamaica in September.
It was an interesting hat-trick achieved via the DRS mode. Bumrah first had Darren Bravo caught at second slip by KL Rahul, and then sent back Shamarh Brooks by trapping him lbw first ball.
Next ball, he bowled an in-swinger to Roston Chase, which missed the edge of the bat and hit him on the pad. The umpire declared the batsman not out, and although on a hat-trick, Bumrah didn’t seem too excited for a review.
But skipper Kohli went for the DRS, and replays found that the ball was hitting the stumps, thus giving the bowler the hat-trick wicket.
With his feat, Bumrah joined Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan on the list of Indian bowlers with hat-tricks in Test matches. Singh was the first Indian to take a Test hat-trick in the legendary Eden Gardens Test of 2001 against Australia.
Former left-arm pacer Pathan picked up three wickets off the last three balls of the first over against Pakistan at Karachi in 2006. Pakistan fought back commendably to win the Test.
Bumrah’s efforts at Jamaica, however, ensured India victory by 257 runs as he finished with figures of 6 for 27 in the first innings. The hat-trick effort followed his stupendous 5 for 7 in the first Test at North Sound.