'Our players robbed them for so many runs' - Javed Miandad opens up about 1978-79 Pakistan-India Test series

India and Pakistan rivalries have been quite famous since the time the nations had separate cricket teams. Javed Miandad, the ex-Pakistan batsman, has himself been part of many such excellent matches during the late 1970s, through the 1980s till the mid-1990s. Recently, the legendary Pakistan batsman talked about India’s tour of Pakistan 1978-79, where Miandad and another Pakistani legend, Zaheer Abbas scored heavily.

Recalling the famous Test series, Javed Miandad said that India’s strength was its spinners. He said the Indian spinners had done well all around the globe. However, BS Chandrasekhar, Bishan Singh Bedi and Erapalli Prasanna were taken to the cleaners during the tour of Pakistan.

Javed Miandad recalls the partnership with Zaheer Abbas

“Chandrasekhar, Bedi, Prasanna… India’s strength was this, their spinners. And they did well around the world but when they came here (Pakistan), they were taken to the cleaners. Our players robbed them for so many runs,” said Miandad in his Youtube channel.

Miandad also recalled how he helped Zaheer Abbas in batting while they were having a partnership.

“I remember that Chandrasekhar was giving some troubles to Zaheer Bhai. Then he told me ‘Javed please tackle him for me’. I obviously said yes. Meanwhile from the other end, Zaheer Bhai was taking a lot of runs off Bedi sahib and Prasanna,” said Miandad.

The former Pakistan captain also shared that later on, he asked Zaheer Abbas to allow him to bat against Bedi and Prasanna.

“Then I said, ‘Zaheer Bhai please allow me to take some runs too, I will also use my feet against them. I’m stuck here. I won’t take a single off the last ball’,” he added.

In the first Test of the series, Zaheer Abbas scored 176 while Miandad scored 154. That match ended in a draw. In the second Test, the tide shifted as Abbas scored a brilliant double century. Pakistan won that match by eight wickets. Javed followed up with a magnificent century in the third and last Test. Pakistan won that match by eight wickets again. The home team won the series 2-0.

Chandrasekhar took eight wickets in that series at an average of 48.12 while Bedi managed six wickets at an average of 74.83. Prasanna managed to pick just two wickets in the two matches he played in the series at an average of 125.50.