India Clinched Australia & Reclaimed ICC Test Mace

Team India ended their home season with a eight wicket series win over Australia at Dharamsala. Virat Kohli-led side beat New Zealand, England and Bangladesh before hosting Australia.

Team India with Border-Gavaskar Trophy 

 The Aussies are formidable opponents. They are proud and professional and they play hard. For the Aussies, only winning matters. Everything else is a waste of time. But this series saw a dramatic role reversal, with India trumping the Aussies. It’s been a fiery month, both on and off the field, it was produced riveting cricket, with players pushing the boundaries to get ahead of each other. In this tussle, harsh words were exchanged, allegations and accusations were hurled and charges were made, starting with the infamous Aussie Sikkper Smith's "Brain Fade" moment when he was seeking clue for DRS.

    Kohli’s Indian team is more settled, sorted and successful than teams before it. The core group has excellent work ethic and on the bench sits genuine quality, ready to step in if an opportunity was to present itself. 

India retained the ICC Test Championship mace and also won a cash award of USD one million for holding on to the top position in the Test Team rankings on the annual April 1 cut-off date.

S Gavaskar presenting ICC test mace to V Kohli

      At the end of what has been a gruelling season, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that Umesh Yadav has mastered the difficult skill of picking up wickets on sub-continent pitches.

Series Result: 

                              1. Ind v Aus, Pune 

                                   - Aus won by 333 runs.

                              2. Ind v Aus, Bengaluru

                                   - Ind won by 75 runs.

                              3. Ind v Aus, Ranchi

                                   - Match Drawn.

                              4. Ind v Aus,  Dharamshala

                                   - Ind won by 8 wickets. 

Photos: 

Ashwin won the ICC Cricketer of the Year & Test Cricketer of the year award

Indian Players with trophies

Indian Captains v/s all other opponents

Jadeja with Man of the Match & Series awards

  Stats:

            - Jadeja has hit 21 sixes, most by anyone in 2016-17. Bhajji hit 17 sixes 2010-11. 

            - Jadeja became the third player to take 50+ wickets & 500+ runs in a season.                                    Kapil Dev and Mitchell Johnson are the other two to achieve the feat.

            - Jadeja is now the 24th player to score 3000 runs and pick 300 wickets in international                  cricket. He is the fourth Indian to do so. 

            - India became the third nation to win Test series against all their opponents at the same                point of time. Others are Aus(2004-05 & 2006-07), S Africa(2012-13). 

            - Since 2008, India now have been won 4 consecutive test series vs Aus, a rare                              disntiction. 

            - For the first time, India have won seven consecutive Test series – from 2015 till date. 

            - It was Pujara's first duck at home, 3rd over all.

            - It's the fourth time India have come back to win the series after losing the first Test.

            - Pujara, 32nd player who faced 525 or more balls in an innings. 

On a funny note, Virender Sehwag, who is also known for witty side, gave out the #ViruGhareluAwards. In his ‘awards’, he awarded following 'titles’ to players from both the Indian and Australian teams :

        Viart Kohli -Holder, 

        Steven Smith -Tubelight, 

        Pujara -Inverter, 

       Jadeja -TulluPump, 

       KL Rahul -Stabilizer,

       Ashwin, Rahane- Desert Coolers.

Kumble's Haul of Fame on 7 Feb'99

Any sporting record that lasts over 40 years has got to be very very special -- and the effort that equals it, or tops it, has to be applauded to the rooftops.

Today, it was Anil Kumble whose name rings from the rafters -- an analysis that reads 26.3-9-74-10 being the reason why.
On February 7, 1999, Anil Kumble took all the 10 Pakistan wickets in the second Test at the Feroz shah Kotla, in New Delhi and in the process he wrote his name into the annals of cricket folklore and history. Kumble emulated Englishman Jim Laker's feat, finishing with 10-74 from 26.3 overs against Pakistan. The feat was made all the more special since as it was against arch-rival Pakistan, and that too the Test series was the first on Indian soil between the two teams in 12 years.

Kumble's brilliance saw India crush Pakistan by 212 runs in the second Test in New Delhi and square the short two-match series.

#OTD in 2001, Sehwag debuted in 'White Jersey'

His batting Style was completely different and unorthodox than others. That's why Sourav Ganguly, former captain of Indian side, said about him "He changed the definition of being an opener. "

Here is talking about none other than the fear of the bowlers, Virender Sehwag, the man who revolutionised the role of the opener in Test cricket. He was made his test debut on the very same day in 2001 against South Africa where he was batted on number 6th position and blasted a hundred in the debut match, India were lost that match by 9 wickets though but they have been found an star in that match.

Although, Viru has already been made his ODI debut back in 1999. seeing his batting style, he was only kept considering as an one-day player but later, Soon he broke that myth. The then coach John Wright and Indian Skipper Sourav Ganguly promoted him as an opener and he also did not let them disappoint as he made a quick 84 runs at Lords in 2002. That Innings cleared his batting position in the team.

He is the only triple centurion in Tests for India having scored career-best knock of 319 against Pakistan & also one of those rare batsmen to have scored two triple ton with his next one (309) coming against South Africa.


Here are the three of his best innings in Test cricket:

309, Multan, 2004: At Multan on March 29, 2004 Nawab of Najafgarh became first India to ever score a triple century. He scored a marvelous 309 against arch rivals Pakistan to set up India's first Test win in Pakistan. It was this Test match which gave Sehwag the nick name 'Multan ka Sultan'.

319, Chennai, 2008: With Virender Sehwag, it was all in or nothing. And he proved that against South Africa in Chennai on March 28, 2008 as he blasted the fastest Test triple-century, off 278 deliveries. Opposition coach Mickey Arthur termed it the 'best Test innings he has ever seen'. Crushing and grinding bowlers with his majestic batting it still remains the highest Test score by an Indian.

293, Mumbai, 2009: Sehwag who has scored and destroyed every bowler in the world tool the attack to the most successful Test bowler in this one -- Muttiah Muralitharan. Sehwag in this particular Test match had hit a total of 47 boundaries that included 40 fours and seven sixes. During this innings it broke a number of records - most double-centuries by an Indian, second-highest number of 250-plus scores and most runs by and Indian in a day. Victory also took India to No. 1 in the rankings.

In a glorious intl. career spanning over 12 years, the swashbuckling opener played 104 tests scoring 8586 runs at an impressive average of just a little over 49, including 23 Centuries and 32 fifties.

Now a days, like his batting form, the stalwart is busy in showing his funny bones on the mic and is buzzing all around specially among his fans.

FINALLY, I would say, I don't think there will be another Virender Sehwag.

Glory Continue versus Pak in world cup !

It's 6-0 !

When India play against its arch rival Pakistan then million hearts of both the countries are stopped to beat till the result not comes. As India jolted Pakistan by 76 runs, they have now been successfully started off their ICC world cup 2015 campaign on a bright note.

India were seeking for a victory since the starting of their Australia tour but couldn't capitalise that, but finally a win came into their pocket in world cup. 

India made 300 for 7 (Kohli 107, Raina 74, Dhawan 73, Sohail 5-55) while batting first whereas Pakistan were bowled out on 224 (Misbah 76, Shehzad 47, Shami 4-350 and India registered an emotional win over Pakistan 6th time in the history of world cup. 

Team India celebrating victory over Pakistan 

Summary:  

After winning the toss, India had opted to bat first at Adelaide oval. Dhawan and Rohit had made their ways to open the innings for Team India but soon after starting the match, Rohit was dismissed cheaply. Then Vice captain Virat Kohli came to crease to build the P'sip with dhawan. Both were playing sensible cricket till a misunderstanding of a run out was not occured between these two batsmen and in the result of Misbah's direct-hit, Dhawan had to walk back on his 73 runs. Suresh Raina joined kohli who was playing on 73*. Now team India were depend on these two dangerous middle order batsmen to score well and set a big total for Pak without losing the wicket and exactly same was happening. Meanwhile Pak keeper dropped a catch of kohli who was looking more aggressive towards making the runs. From 35 to 40th over, in which batting powerplay was taken, Pakistan bowlers conceded only 25 runs but India hadn't lost any wicket which was a big thing. In the 43rd over of India's innings, Virat scored his odi century no.22, that is faster than anyone else in ODI cricket. Raina had also been completed his odi fifty just after Virat's ton. But very soon, to gear up the run rate, both were out quickly 

on 107 and 74 respectively. Sohail khan was a bit of impressive with the ball in the death overs and took a Fif-er on his world cup debut. India were finally managed to put 300 runs on the scorecard after losing 7 wickets.

After the break, Pakistan were there to chase the target as their openers made their ways to kick off the innings. As sooner as the inning started, Shami got Younus khan in the 3rd over of the inning. Haris Sohail joined Shehzad, both were playing steady innings against Indian bowling attack but couldn't capitalise their score. The rest were just come to show their presence and enjoy the match except their Captain Misbah ul haq, who showed some resistance and played an inning of 76 runs before being out as 9th player. Hence, Pakistan couldn't break the jinx of losing in the world cup against India and lost by 76 runs. 

Facts: 

• The tickets for this clash at Adelaide were sold out in just 20 minutes !
• Kohli took only 143 innings to become the fastest player to complete 22 odi tons.
• Sohail Khan took a fif-er on his world cup debut.
• India Beat pakistan in all six matches of world cup yet that have been played in 1992, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2011 and now 2015.

Match in Pics: 

Now the big task is coming ahead, as India will have to take on South Africa on 22 feb. Dont't Forget that India never won a single match against SA in world cup (0-3). 

Congrats team India for one of the biggest win in terms of emotions and All the Best for upcoming matches.