5 Greatest Moments For the Indian Cricket Team In 2019

5 Greatest Moments For the Indian Cricket Team In 2019: The Indian Cricket team underwent a hugely successful year in all the formats in the current year. In eight Tests this year, Virat Kohli & Co remained unbeaten and scored resounding victories in seven out of eight Tests with one ending in a draw, keeping their number one ranking intact. In One-day internationals (ODIs), India emerged victorious in 19 out of 28 matches, losing seven, and the remaining two going as no-results. Among the shortest formats, Virat Kohli’s men pocketed nine wins out of 16 games and suffered defeats in the remaining seven.

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Despite enjoying favourable results aplenty, the semi-final loss in the World Cup 2019 would always sting them. Billed as one of the tournaments’ favourites, the two-time champions whittled away against the pace barrage of New Zealand in the semi-finals of the edition. Amid that, in 2019, the fans witnessed the Indian team dismantling some of the best teams throughout the year and were served with numerous glorious moments.

We take a look at five greatest moments of the Indian cricket team in 2019:

5. Rohit Sharma’s five centuries in World Cup 2019:

Along with England, the Indian side was one of the favourites for lifting the 2019 World Cup, mainly because of their top three in the batting order. Before the tournament, Rohit Sharma blew hot and cold in the ODI series against Australia. However, he found his stride in the competition straight away. The Mumbai batsman slammed 122 in India’s first game against South Africa to complete a tricky chase.

He mustered 140 against Pakistan and went on to amass three consecutive tons against England (102), Bangladesh (104, and Sri Lanka (103). As a result, the 33-year old finished the tournament as the top run-getter with 648 runs. Rohit also ended 2019 as the highest run-scorer in ODI cricket in 2019 with 1490 runs in 28 matches and is ranked number two in ICC ODI rankings for batsmen. Rohit Sharma smashing all records during the World Cup is one of the greatest moments of the Indian cricket team in 2019.

4. Deepak Chahar six wickets vs Bangladesh:

Bangladesh arrived in India in November to play three T20Is and two Tests. Contrary to the expectations, a depleted Bangladesh side proved as heavyweights in the series. They won the first T20 and India bounced back to win the second T20I. In the third game, the tourists were cruising in their pursuit of 175.

In the 13th over with Bangladesh placed at 110-2, Deepak Chahar came back to bounce out Mohammad Mithun to break the stand of 98. Post that wicket; the visitors completely lost their way, and eventually, Chahar finished with match figures of 3.2-0-7-6. With those numbers, the 27-year old created the record for best bowling figures in T20 internationals. The home side won the game by 30 runs and the series by 2-1.

3. First bilateral series win in Australia:

India invaded the Australian shores having the upper hand in all three formats. The Australian team were shrouded with all kinds of uncertainties, notably missing Steve Smith and David Warner apart from welcoming a lot of rookies. The two sides shared the T20I trophy while India clinched the Test series.

The three-match ODI series began with Australia sidelining India to take the lead in Sydney. In Adelaide in the second ODI, the men in blue chased 299 to level the series. In the series decider, India struggled in their chase of 231 in the first ten overs. Nevertheless, MS Dhoni and Kedar Jadhav saw the team over the finish line.

With the victory, Virat Kohli’s men not only won the ODI series but also clinched their maiden bilateral series in Australia. India also became the first nation not to lose a single leg on their tour down under which will go down one of the greatest moments of Indian Cricket Team in 2019.

2. First pink-ball Test:

Australia and New Zealand squared off in the first-ever pink-ball or a day-night Test in 2015 in Test cricket history. Since then, almost all the Test-playing nations played at least one such game. However, the Indian team was reluctant to participate in the same due to several factors. That all changed when Sourav Ganguly became the President of BCCI in October 2019 and convinced Virat Kohli, who agreed to marshall his team for their first day and night red-ball fixture at the international level.

India agreed to host Bangladesh in November for the first day and night Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. As soon as the official word spread out, Kolkata swooned itself in pink to celebrate the first-ever pink-ball Test in India. It augured perfectly for India as they won the match by an innings and 46 runs. The triumph also meant that India blanked Bangladesh to win the series by 2-0 which is one of the greatest moments of the Indian cricket team in 2019.

1. India’s first-ever Test series win in Australia:

The Indian team had won a Test series in all the Test-playing nations except for Australia and South Africa. They lost in South Africa at the start of 2018; however, arrived down under with their best chance of a series win in 72 years. Australia were like wounded buffaloes on this occasion, mainly because of their lack of confidence that came on the back of their three players getting involved in the ball-tampering scandal in March 2018.

They were also depleted since two of their best batsmen were serving a ban for indulging in deliberately changing the condition of the ball to gain an undue advantage. While Australia gave everything with the ball, the lack of runs largely dented their chances time and again. The pace -bowling unit of India was too much for the inexperienced duo to handle, and they eventually suffered the first-ever Test loss to India at home by 2-1.

India won the first Test in Adelaide and the third Test in Melbourne. Australia scored a victory in the second Test in Perth while the fourth Test in Sydney resulted in a draw, mainly due to rains. Cheteshwar Pujara was named as the man of the series for scoring 521 runs in five Tests. The series triumph also made India the only sub-continent nation to win a Test series in Australia. This was undeniably the most glorious moment of the Indian cricket team in 2019.

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