5 memorable Indian bowling performances in Test cricket on Australian soil
India touring Australia is always a mouth-watering prospect for cricket lovers. Indias tour this time kicks off with the first Test match at the Gabba, Brisbane which starts from December 4. Virat Kohli will continue with his captaining stint for the first Test, while for Australia, Michael Clarke is unsure to play given his hamstring injury and Shane Watson or even Steven Smith could step into his shoes.It will be a very fascinating contest between bat and ball that will last four Tests. The seaming pitches will be a very different setting for Indian bowlers, and the onus will be on them to use the help on offer to their advantage. If they fail to do so, the Kangaroos will have a heavy advantage.Here are some memorable Indian bowling performances that took the Aussies by surprise.
#1 Ajit Agarkar (Adelaide, 2003)
This gem of a Test match is going to be recounted in the cricketing world for a good number of generations to come. Australia butchered the Indian attack the first time they batted, putting 556 on the board, courtesy of a Ricky Ponting double hundred. India’s response, which was a surprise for most, was just 33 runs short, courtesy of the Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman pair, which was once again at Australia;s throats, punishing them with a 303 run-stand.
The second time India started bowling, the match was headed for a draw with less than two days’ time left and everything going the batsmen’s way. Ajit Agarkar decided that he did not like what he saw, and demanded that the bowlers have a say in the game.
That is exactly what followed, because it was his act with the ball on day 4 that created a possibility for an Indian win, which was ensured on Day 5 by Man of the Match Dravid, who once again top scored with 72*.
He provided the early breakthroughs – Justin Langer was the first to go, followed by Ponting, who was dismissed by a stunner caught by Aakash Chopra. He then returned to clean up the tail, only after Tendulkar had pulled off a surprise by dismissing Damien Martyn and Steve Waugh in consecutive overs.
Agarkar came and removed Andy Bichel, Simon Katich, Jason Gillespie and Stuart MacGill within a space of 12 runs, and the Aussies were all out for 196.
This was a major turning point in the match, as India could now think of sneaking a win, with just 230 required and roughly 100 overs of play still to be played. Agarkar had produced career best figures of 6/41, and he could not have chosen a better occasion.
And to complete the story of an incredible win, he was present at the non-striker’s end as Dravid hit the winning runs to take India home. The full stadium applauded as the architects of India’s victory walked out of the park.