Team India

In a quandary to write either on “Reminiscence – 3” or something fresh, yeah the latter – a new one on how India beat Australia way back in the past. The victory was so hopeless and still the Blue Men made it. This is very much related to the Quarter-Final match played few days ago in the World Cup 2011.

We are now in 1996, Bangalore. India was playing against Australia (which was the time the Aussies were trying to monopolize the Game!). In 1996, Indian players were Javagal Srinath, Somasunder, Jadeja, just to name a few.

This game made the Indians, switch off their televisions and go on with the dinner as the team seemed sulking, struggling and likely to lose to the Kangaroo groomers!

Australia batted first in this ODI and though did not take the score to a rocket level; they set the target to 215. These three figures seemed possible to the Indians until the early wickets began felling. The veteran of the Ausies Team, Mark Taylor made a century (105) in that match, followed Waugh and Bevan making around eighty together.

The home team innings began with the Mexico wave at the stadium. Of course the local chaps of Bangalore Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath got all the attention of the crowd and felt so much playing at an ease.

The loss was intensive as Indians lost all the star openers namely Somasunder, Dravid, Azharuddin and Ganguly. Losing all these men within the reach of 50 runs, there was no hope anywhere. The fans’ dreams doomed. Sachin (The Country’s Kid) did not lose the wicket fortunately which was like the drowning man clutching the straws. After 47/4 what plugged in the hope was the wicket of Sachin, Jadeja and Mongia in hand. However, the other two were performers of the lower end; the burden entirely fell on Sachin. The burden was soon resolved when the figures rose to 164. Even then the target was 216 which seemed a long way as the eighth batsman to walk from the pitch was Sachin who was replaced by Kumble, the local lad.

At this juncture none expected the lower end players to join together to produce around 52 runs. Kumble together with Srinath played on the pitch under so much of pressure. That was the very pitch where these local guys had practiced since their boyhood. The tail-enders made it possible for the Blue to win the match and made a 216. The point is not the mere victory; it is the salvation by the two underdogs.

Anyone can elucidate how well Srinath bowls or how accurately Kumble could hit the stumps from farther distances. But when asked how well these chaps batted, this is one classic which has to be narrated. Their swiftness in scoring and adding numbers to the board was very essential at the end, which made the Team India win with seven balls to spare.

Victory can strike any time, this is one such impossible ones!

Tags: Anil Kumble, Australia, Cricket, India, Indians, Javagal Srinath, World Cup 2011