From Hanuma Vihari To MS Dhoni: 5 Instances When Indian Cricketers Braved Their Injuries To Play The Game

Perhaps, any game, let alone cricket is a test of a player’s perseverance, temperament, and endurance. And injuries are part and parcel of any sport. However, a player’s commitment to their nation can not only get them past any wounds but also enable them to craft some of the most memorable innings. There exist several instances of the same in the world.

As for Indian cricket, it has also witnessed several such moments. Such cricketers defied logic and went on to play no matter how severe their injuries were. As a cricketing-frenzied nation, the cricketers understood the stakes and their own passion further played a part in contributing significantly to their team’s cause.

We take a look at five instances when Indian cricketers defied their injuries to play the game:

MS Dhoni kept wickets in 2016 against Zimbabwe despite an eye injury:

The then Indian captain MS Dhoni suffered a freak of an eye injury during the third T20I against Zimbabwe in Harare. The incident occurred when the keeper-batsman tried to launch paceman Donald Tripiano all the way. However, he failed and as a result, the visiting skipper played the ball onto the stumps following which the bail sliced up and struck Dhoni’s eye.

Despite that, the 39-year old did not rest up and came out to stand behind the stumps. While Dhoni managed only nine runs while batting and could not affect any dismissal with his stumps, he guided India to a series victory. The visitors defended a modest total of 138 to win by three runs.

Hanuma Vihari batting an entire session with a hamstring injury:

Hanuma Vihari was part of one of the most famous blockhatons in the history of Test cricket. Hanuma Vihari’s spot was not only under question, having not contributed anything notable but also was carrying a hamstring injury, impairing his ability. However, he put all that to rest and faced 130 balls to secure an improbable draw for India in Sydney.

Hanuma Vihari arrived at the crease when India lost Rishabh Pant at the wrong juncture and Australia’s bowlers had their tails up. With injury making it unlikely for Ravindra Jadeja to bat, the right-handed batsman was the only last recognized batsman. And along with Ravichandran Ashwin, Vihari steered India through to safety to keep the series alive for the visitors.

Shikhar Dhawan scoring a century in the 2019 World Cup with a fractured finger:

The ICC events are arguably the stage where big players have to come good and Shikhar Dhawan is no different. In fact, Shikhar Dhawan’s record at the ICC tournaments remain superior to most players and he flourishes in England. And once again, the southpaw was at the thick of the things against Australia during India’s 2019 World Cup encounter at the Oval in London

Shikhar Dhawan copped a blow early in the innings on his finger; however, he continued to bat, understanding it was a crucial game for them. The 34-year old scored a glorious hundred amid that which handed India a formidable total of 352-5. In response, Australia managed 316. Nevertheless, the injury ruled him out of the rest of the tournament.

Kedar Jadhav batting with a hamstring injury during 2018 Asia Cup final:

Kedar Jadhav might not represent India again, considering his age and form. However, there are a few notable innings for which he would always be remembered. One of those came in the 2018 Aisa Cup final, which was a low-scoring clash against Bangladesh. He starred in a perfect campaign for India.

The Maharashtra-born cricketer remained unbeaten in 23 to steer the men in blue to a three-wicket victory. Captain Rohit Sharma top-scored with 48 while there were notable contributions from Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni, and Ravindra Jadeja. However, it was Kedar Jadhav staying till the end to complete the match in the last ball.

Anil Kumble bowling with a broken jaw vs West Indies, Antigua, 2002:

Former West Indian great Viv Richards claimed that Anil Kumble bowling with a broken jaw was one of the most courageous things he saw on the field. Anil Kumble, who batted at number seven in the fourth Test in Antigua, copped a blow from Merv Dillon and spat out blood but batted for another 20 minutes.

The Karnataka-born leggie plastered his jaw and came out to bowl later after India declared their innings at 513-9. Though Kumble delivered only 14 overs, he dismissed the home side’s ace batsman, Brian Lara for a single-digit score. The Test eventually resulted in a draw.

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