5 fastest Test innings by Indian batsmen
There was a time when it was said, jokingly, that Indian batsmen had to be told that they were not batting in a timeless Test. One may say that it was harsh given that stolid batting was the norm back (at least) till the 80s, but lack of favourable results meant that India was looked upon as a side that didn't play to win at all. While a certain Kapil Dev's daredevilry did bring about winds of change, it didn't quite stir the status quo as it should have.
It was only after the likes of Dravid, Laxman, Sehwag, and Ganguly came into their own that India could rely on more than just one batsman (Sachin Tendulkar) and forge results. And this can be backed up by facts: Out of India's total 148 Test wins, 87 (60%) have come since 2000. Much of it has had to do with an assemblage of batsmen who mastered all of its myriad aspects. But there has been one thing in common; the mindset. Aggressive batting is no more the exception, it has become the norm.
While much can be written about how much Indian cricket has changed over the years, this article has a limited purview but is about what has been talked about in the previous lines; Batting at it's belligerent, match-changing best.
In a follow up to a previous article by this writer (Fastest Test Innings of all time), I will count down the 5 fastest Test innings by Indian batsmen (Min 50 Runs). There are some expected and some (or, at least one) surprises in there. So, read on.
#5 MS Dhoni 69(52) vs WI - Antigua(2006) [4*4s, 6*6s, SR - 132.69]
The renaissance man of Indian cricket, MS Dhoni is first up in the list. It would be futile to give even a brief background of him, as no other cricketer apart from Sachin Tendulkar has been followed and worshipped as much as him. He was much more than just an answer to India's half a decade-long search for a wicket-keeper batsman. If Tendulkar made fans out of viewers, Dhoni, with his humble background and self-assurance, turned them into believers. Much like the American dream, his rise has come to personify the Indian dream.
MS was a flamboyant and attacking batsman who could take apart any bowling attack with consummate ease (watch his demolition of Shoaib Akhtar en route his 148 vs Pakistan at Faisalabad). While a Test average of 38.09 is underwhelming for a batsman of his raw ability, he nevertheless managed to play some scintillating innings in a topsy-turvy 90 Test career.
The innings in question here is sadly not available on the internet. The fifth fastest 50 plus score in Indian Test history was made against the West Indies during the first Test at Antigua. After India had conceded a lead of 130 runs after having been put into bat by Brian Lara, Wasim Jaffer anchored India's second innings with a crafty double century (212) and when Dhoni came into bat at No.6, he decided to up the tempo with some lusty hitting. India declared with a 391 run read and West Indies would eventually hold on to a draw in what turned out to be a nail-biting contest that stretched to the last ball.