Top 5 Performances by an Overseas Bowler in India
Bowling brilliant spells away from home is never an easy task. In India or anywhere in the sub-continent, creaking, cracking pitches or flat tracks meant it was spinners who would be more successful than the pacers. However, over the years, the world’s best spinners only returned disappointed considering how well most Indian batsmen played spinners on their home pitches.There have been stunning spells too of bowlers who have single-handedly demolished Indian batting, although that has always been India’s traditional strength. A bowler getting six to seven wickets and running through the Indian side is a spectacular event especially when it was a pacer who did it.Some spectacular bowling spells have come since the 70s, a time when India was only getting stronger and better with its batting. We have picked five bowling spells that will be remembered for a long time, not just for the havoc but the manner in which it was wreaked.
#1 Ian Botham, Bombay, 1980
Bowling figures: 6/58 and 7/48
It was probably one of the best all-round performances by a visiting player in India. Besides taking two five-wicket hauls in the Test, Botham also scored a century in that match at No.6 in a crisis, pushing England from 58 for five to 296 all out after a 171 run partnership with Bob Taylor.
However, that wouldn’t be the only form of partnership between Taylor and Botham. As many as 8 times, the scoreboard in the Test match had c Taylor b Botham.
Batting first India managed 242. Botham picked 6 including those of Sunil Gavaskar, Sandeep Patil and Kapil Dev. But he had saved his best for the second innings. India had a deficit of 54 to take care of. But Botham ensured India won’t get too many getting six of the top 7 Indian batsmen. By the time Botham picked his fifth, Syed Kirmani, India were 58 for six. He came back to break a 44 run partnership trapping Yashpal Sharma LBW.
Botham had match figures of 13-106, still the best match figures for any visiting bowler. He picked each wicket at 8.15 runs apiece.