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India,
over the years have produced some great cricketers that has matched the
very best in the world. With the completion of 69 years of
independence, here is a look at some of the finest knocks by some of the
greats in our country that had forced the world to stand up and
acknowledge batsmanship in its true form-Test cricket. While some have
come in foreign soil and some in the sub-continent, it had ensured the
fact that we are no gimmicks in Test cricket any more. With Laxman and
Tendulkar featuring in the list twice, it does have it's fair share of
surprises...
#1 VVS Laxman
Laxman in action against Aussies
VVS
Laxman, Eden Gardens, 2001: When Steven Waugh took the flight to
capture the last frontier-India, the visitors were oozing with
confidence, just to signify that a series victory was more of a
formality than a challenge. Waugh’s men reduced the Indians to mere
spectators who had no control of the proceeding at Mumbai, as the
visitors took a 1-0 lead in the 3-match series. As Australia went to
Kolkata with their tails-up and planning to wrap up the series, VVS
Laxman came in the way. With India, following on, after a poor first
innings display, Laxman was promoted up the order at No 3 and the rest
is history. The man from Hyderabad took the Kangaroos to the cleaners as
his knock of 281, not only got India back in the match but also in the
series which the hosts’ went on to win 2-1 that disrupted the Aussie
dominance of winning 16 Test matches in a row.
#2 Rahul Dravid
Dravid and Laxman batted the whole day
Rahul
Dravid, Eden Gardens, 2001: While Dravid may have bailed India out of
trouble on more than one occasion, this knock of 180 against Australia
at Eden Gardens will stand out, not just because of the situation but
also in the context of the series. Dravid was involved with Laxman in a
mammoth 376-run partnership that turned the match on its head after the
hosts’ were in danger of losing the match inside 3 days along with the
series.
#3 Sunil Gavaskar
Sunny signed off in style
Sunil
Gavaskar, Bangalore, 1986/87: Sunil Gavaskar was probably the first
Indian cricketer who restored a sense of pride among a lot of us, and
while the little master might have played a lot of great knocks
including centuries in both innings and 221 at Oval against England but
the innings that showed the dynamics of his class as a Test batsman was
the one he played against Pakistan in 1986 at Bangalore that also turned
out to be his last Test. The 96 scored by Gavaskar in a raging turner
had the crowd on its feet, even when the Indians fell short by 16 runs
in the run chase.
#4 Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin’s 241 were a result of a cautious and patient approach
Sachin
Tendulkar, Sydney, 2003/4: Sachin Tendulkar had been in the mix of
things for more than a couple of decades and at times, on certain days,
he was just a treat to the naked eye. For a guy who was at the helm of
affairs for 24 years and had scored 51 centuries, to pick one would
always be a daunting task but his knock of 241 at Sydney in 2003/4 was a
fine display of patience, attitude where he curbed his natural instinct
and refused to play anything outside the off-stump for the most part of
his knock.
#5 Gautam Gambhir
Gambhir batted with patience and intent
Gautam
Gambhir, Napier, 2009: India have always been poor travellers but not
on this occasion as Gautam Gambhir stood like a rock at one end and
anchored the Indian innings for 2 days as the visitors saved the Test
match at Napier by playing out the last two days with Tendulkar, Dravid
and Yuvraj giving him good company. Laxman did his bit by scoring a
century but all went back except the man from Delhi who stayed at the
crease for 643 minutes for his brilliant 137.
#6 Virender Sehwag
Sehwag’s knock scared the Pak bowlers for life
Virender
Sehwag, Multan, 2004: Very few would have thought Virender Sehwag to be
good enough to score a triple-century, more because of his style of
play but the Nawab of Najafgarh has not done it once but twice. The
first came at Multan against Pakistan in 2004 where Sehwag just eased
his way to 309 reducing the Pakistanis to a club-level bowling attack.
India went on to win the Test match by a innings and later the series.
#7 Sachin Tendulkar
Despite back issues the Little Master played a master knock
Sachin
Tendulkar, Chennai, 1999: Sachin Tendulkar kept battling with a back
injury, a Pakistani attack that boasted the likes of Wasim Akram, Waqar
Younis, Saqlain Mushtaq and a turning Chidambaram track that had shown
little mercy to the hosts. But the little man from Mumbai kept the
Indian fight alive as his partners kept leaving him one after another,
giving the arch-rivals more than a chance to win the Test match. At the
end Tendulkar’s 136 was not good enough as India fell short of the
target by12 runs.
#8 VVS Laxman
Wristy Laxman reserved his best against Australians
VVS
Laxman, Mohali, 2010: Back injuries seem to get the best out of Indian
batters as VVS Laxman made the most of his form and ability at Mohali
against Australia in a match where the Aussies had all but won the match
before the Hyderabadi middle-order batsman took India home from the
jaws of defeat to a famous victory. Laxman’s 73 came at a time when
India were tottering at 120 for 8, chasing a target of 216 as the
visitors won by 1 wicket.
#9 GR Viswanath
The trend starter
GR
Viswanath, Port of Spain. 1976: Chasing a target of 404, India were up
for the challenge as Sunil Gavaskar got the visitors off to a great
start as Viswanath capitalised the conditions to perfection and took the
Indian team to a famous Test win against the West Indies by scoring a
brilliant 112 that came against a bowling line-up which was led by
Michael Holding.
#10 Dilip Vengsarkar
Dilip loved to toy with English bowlers
Dilip
Vengsarkar, Leeds, 1986: Vengsarkar was at one time known as the Lord
of Lord’s and England was one of the opponents he loved playing against.
This time around he held the fort at Leeds by scoring 102 and also
guided India to a famoust Test win in foreign soil. The next best score
in the secong innings was 31 that goes to show Vengsarkar’s dominance
and importance where every body else found going really tough.
Dravid and Laxman batted the whole day 
