Top 5 innings - Test and One Dayers

These are my views of Top 5 innings played in the last 5 years, in both the forms of the game. Last Five years are synonmous with Ganguly,John Wright,Dalmiya, Fitness Trainers and the Betting Scandal.

After the scandal and the disastrous loss to S.Africa at home in the Test Series, these 5 innings are the best things that happened to the Indian Cricket, I feel.

1. VVS laxman 281 at Kolkatta
2. Dravid's 148 at Headingley (Possibly Dravid's best innings)
3. Dravid's 180 at Kolkatta
4. Ganguly 100+ at Brisbane
5. Yuvraj and Kaif in the Lord's Final

1. No explanation required.

2/3. Was tempted to interchange the 2nd and 3rd innings, but then chose this sequence.

The Headingley conditions on the day 1 of the Test was typical English condition, wet and lot of moisture in the air. Dravid's immaculate shot selection and marathon concentration levels along with the able support of Bangar was instrumental in denting the perfect seam conditions for the home team bowlers. It was the usual conditions for being bowled out for less than 200, but for Dravid. Both Sachin and Saurav also went on to score centuries the next day but by then the wicket and the conditions had eased, sun came out in all it's glory, pitch baked dry and the bowlers tired and down.

Also, Dravid's was struggling against Aussie and particular against Shane Warne before the Kolkata test, and had a series of poor low scores for 4 consecutive test against the Aussie. (3 in Australia and the First Test in India). It was Laxman's delectable play that showed the way to Dravid and then Dravid gained in confidence and blossomed and hence I rate this innings lower than the Headingley Test.

4. The Brisbane test was following the familiar script. Great first day of the series for Australia fast and bouncy pitch, rain and moisture in the air, and India 3-4 key wickets down. Everybody was anticipating the collapse and end of competition from India in the Test series right in the first test. Out came Ganguly, everybody expecting him to go back to the pavilion in the same speed in which he came, due to his perceived weakness against fast bowlers,ferocity of the Australian bowlers and the wicked conditions.
But he went onto Score a century, well crafted innings from Laxman, but it was Ganguly who took the fight back to the Aussies. In the process not only he made a statement to the Aussie players, team management,media and spectators but also inspired the team to fight back, not an explicit inspiration but subtle and implicit, the true job of a captain. Zaheer also bowled well to reduce the Aussies and got a Five For, but then he exploited the conditions very well than the rest.

5. I can't separate one from the other. Both Kaif and Yuvraj were brilliant. They just went on and on and then we won the famous un-believable finals. Hence both their names together. This innings is 5th on the list because, well, the Lord's pitch was a beauty to bat, and we all know the English Bowling. Anybody and everybody can go on.

__________

There has been quite a few other innings, other than the 5 mentioned above which has led the team to
victory and there have been quite a few innings which hasn't lead the team to victory, nevertheless have been brilliant in their own right.

But I chose these, because all these innings have been breathtakingly spectacular. These innings took the team to new levels and brought in decisive changes to the Indian Cricket and brought in a winning attitude within the team and also stunned the outside world and their perception about our cricket.


I tried a lot to fit in Sachin's 98 against Pakistan. But could'nt really do so. Few Reasons
1. He was highly motivated to treat Shoaib Akhtar a lesson. We all know if Sachin's Ego is bruised, anything can happen. (Olonga,Warne,Caddick etc)
2. Veeru was the first one to Slash the cover for a spectacular six and had two good overs against Waqar, which set the tempo of the game and then, after that Sachin took over and then it was complete Mayhem.
3. He did'nt finish the innings and fell ill clutching either his legs or back. If not for Dravid and Yuvraj finishing it off, it would have been a typical 'Sachin played well but India lost ...' story.

Sachin's innings , hmmm I don't think took the Indian cricket to great heights and the team to any new level. I don't think so. Yes, It did take his popularity to new level. It did'nt bring any decisive changes in the fortune of the team like the above mentioned 5 innings but certainly would be remembered for years to come, much like Brian Lara's 400 last week.

My message is clear - Team India comes first and any contribution towards this becomes utmostly important.