Top 5 batting knocks in Test cricket by visiting players in India since 2000

Putting on top performances against India in India remain a dream for many Test cricket hopefuls given the Asian team’s dominance in their backyard. Many legendary players have played to have a decent record while playing India in India shows how tough a team they are irrespective of the generation.

However, in the last couple of decades, India’s home dominance saw them creating many records. India hasn’t now lost a home Test series since 2013 and also lost only one Test at home in this period.

Here we look at top five knocks by visiting batsmen in Test cricket on the Indian soil in the 21st century:

5. Steve Smith’s 109 (202) in 2017 Pune Test

Australia toured India in 2017 for a 4-match Test series which completed prior to the IPL. It was Australia’s first Test tour in India since getting whitewashed in 2013. The exciting series began in Pune which was hosting a Test match for the first time with Virat Kohli taking on Steve Smith. The Pune track was prepared to suit the spin bowlers who extracted turn and bounce from the first session itself.

India came into the match as No.1 ranked team having been unbeaten in their previous 19 Test matches. India were also on an unbeaten 20-match streak at home in Tests which included 17 victories. However, India collapsed to 105 in their first innings in reply to Australia’s total of 260. After earning a first-innings lead of 155, Australia aimed to make the lead bigger to ensure hosts never made a comeback.

The Australian skipper Steve Smith took the responsibility by scoring 109 from 202 balls during his 256-minute stay. Smith did get lucky with few catches being dropped but showed his grit in one of the toughest batting conditions he ever played. His ton helped Australia to finish on 285 and push the lead to 440 runs. Australia eventually won the match by 333 runs as India were bowled out for only 107 in the second essay; two runs less than what Smith scored.

4. Matthew Hayden’s 203 (320) in 2001, Chennai

Matthew Hayden’s performances with the bat were among the highlights during the closely contested 2001 Test series between India and Australia. The 3-match Test series was levelled on 1-1 before the last game in Chennai. A typical Chepauk track with turn and bounce was laid for the series decider. Hayden came into the game having scored 311 runs at an average of 103.67 across the first two Tests.

Harbhajan Singh, who claimed 13 wickets during the previous game in Kolkata including a hat-trick, looked deadly on a supportive Chennai pitch. But Hayden planted himself at one end despite the wickets falling at the other end. The left-hander was the last to be dismissed in Australia’s first innings where they posted 391 runs. Hayden scored 203 runs from 320 balls smashing six maximums and 15 fours. His runs were equivalent to 52% of Australia’s total.

It was Hayden’s first of the two double centuries in Test cricket. However, India took a lead of 110 runs as Sachin Tendulkar scored 126 and four other Indian batters scored fifties. Australia were bowled out for only 264 in the 2nd innings despite an 82-run opening stand where Hayden scored a quick 35. India chased down the target of 155 runs losing eight wickets and completed a historic Test series victory putting Hayden’s effort in vain.

3. Hashim Amla’s 253* (473) in 2010, Nagpur

South Africa toured India for a 2-match Test series at the start of 2010. India were then the No.1 ranked Test team while South Africa were close to them. The series kicked off in Nagpur where Zaheer Khan left the visitors reeling at 6/2 in the first 30 minutes of the match. At this point, Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis led a fight back of the visitors who didn’t lose any more wickets on the first day of the game.

The duo added 340 runs for the 3rd wicket surviving a strong Indian bowling line-up which had three bowlers from the top-15 places in the Test rankings. South Africa went on to post 558/6 in their first innings with Amla scoring an unbeaten 253 from 473 balls. South Africa’s No.3 batsman spent 675 minutes at the crease and struck 22 fours. Dale Steyn starred with the ball for the Proteas with 10 wickets including a 7-fer in the first innings.

South Africa won the match by an innings margin and 6 runs despite centuries from Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar. In fact, this was the first time since 2004 that India lost the first match of a home Test series. This defeat brought an end to India’s 14-match unbeaten streak in Test cricket and also ended their hold on the No.1 team ranking in the ICC Test rankings. However, India claimed back the No.1 rank from South Africa with an innings victory in Kolkata.

2. Adam Gilchrist’s 122 (112) in 2001, Mumbai

The 2001 Test series between India and Australia witnessed many historic knocks and one of them came from Adam Gilchrist. The 3-match series took off in Mumbai as the two teams fought on a track which was turning square. Australia came into the series on the back of a record 15 consecutive Test wins. India were bundled out for only 176 and the hosts came back to reduce the Australians to 99/5.

Gilchrist walked out to bat at No.7 and joined hands with the opener Matthew Hayden. The duo added 197 runs in only 193 balls for the 6th wicket before Hayden got out after scoring 119 from 172 balls. Gilchrist fell a little later after hitting 15 fours and 4 sixes during his 122-run knock that came in only 112 deliveries. Australia were eventually bowled out for 349 and took a big first-innings lead of 173 runs.

Sachin Tendulkar was the lone Indian batsman to score a fifty in both innings as they were bundled out for 219 in the 2nd essay and could only set Aussies a target of 47. Australia ended up winning the Test by 10 wickets and extended their winning streak to 16. During the first innings, Gilchrist raised his 100 in only 84 balls which till date remains as the quickest century in Test cricket by a visiting player on Indian soil.

1.  Kevin Pietersen’s 186 (233) in 2012, Mumbai

England’s tour of India began with a 9-wicket defeat in the first game of the 4-match Test series. The two sides travelled to Mumbai for the 2nd Test where the Wankhede track provided turn from the first day itself. A gritty knock of 135 from Cheteshwar Pujara helped India to finish their first innings at 327. Kevin Pietersen came out to bat at 68/2 and counter-attacked a solid Indian bowling line-up of Zaheer Khan, Ravi Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha and Harbhajan Singh.

He smashed 186 with help of 20 fours and 4 sixes as England took a 90-run lead. Pietersen shared a 206-run stand for the 3rd wicket with Sir Alastair Cook (122). Pietersen managed to score only 19 runs during the first Test in Ahmedabad where he was bowled by Pragyan Ojha in both innings. However, at the Wankhede, he amassed 74 runs off 105 balls against the left-arm spinner with seven fours and 3 sixes.

India were bowled out for only 142 in their 2nd innings and could only set a target of 57 which England chased down without losing a wicket to level the Test series. Pietersen was adjudged as the player of the match for his brilliant knock which can be considered as the best knock by a visiting player in the last two decades on Indian soul. India’s total of 327 in this game remains as the 2nd highest total they made in their first innings of a home Test defeat while batting first.