10 best Test knocks since 2000 on Indian soil

[Ab Fan]

Here I have compiled the list of 10 greatest test innings played on Indian soil since the turn of the millennium.

1. VVS Laxman 281, Kolkata 2001
2. Kevin Pietersen 180, Mumbai 2012
3. Virender Sehwag 83, Chennai 2008
4. Younis Khan 270, Bangalore 2005
5. Virender Sehwag 155, Chennai 2004
6. Matthew Hayden 203, Chennai 2001
7. Hashim Amla 253, Nagpur 2010
8. VVS Laxman 73*, Mohali 2010
9. Rahul Dravid 181, Kolkata 2001
10. Virender Sehwag 319, Chennai 2008

11-20 coming soon!

 

[raashidkhan89079]

Steve smith knock you missed 2017 series i guess
Where he fought with his heart out
But you seem kohli fan

 

[Swashbuckler]

I will include only the knocks by visitors because that is the real challenge.

In no particular order:

Younis 267 (Bangalore 2005)
Amla 253* (Nagpur 2010)
KP 180 (Mumbai 2012)
Kamran Akmal 109 (Mohali 2005)
Cook 190 (Kolkata 2012)
Martyn 104 (Chennai 2004)
Villiers 217* (Motera 2008)
Steven Smith 109 (Pune 2017)
Andy Flower 232* after following on to save a certain defeat (Nagpur 2000)
Hayden 203 (Chennai 2001)

Few great knocks by batters from NZ/WI/SL miss out like McCullum's 225 in Hyderabad 2010. Chanderpaul had a couple of great 100s, Mahela/Dilshan classy 100s, even BD's Mushi fought hard.

 

[Mamoon]

Can’t believe you missed Cook’s 190 in Eden Gardens in 2012.

He completely dominated Ashwin and others and India couldn’t find a way to get past him.

Had he not been run out in a tame fashion, he probably would scored a triple-century.

 

[Swashbuckler]

One of the toughest feats in modern day cricket is not getting thrashed in India. Some 3-4 draws in the last 8 years by opponents, that Pune miracle, otherwise it has been very ugly for visitors.

One particular draw that stood out was the 4th innings effort by SL to save the test in Delhi (FSK has been India's fortress for over 3 decades, almost like what Gabba is to Australia) 2 years back. Dhananjaya De Silva scored a fighting 100 on day 5 helped by some unknown names then. Perhaps that gave the confidence to SL to win the series in SA by chasing successfully twice. It came down to choosing between that knock and Akmal's Mohali 100, chose the Pakistani's knock by a whisker because there were many interruptions in Delhi test because of bad light, fog and pollution leading to momentum breaks for our bowlers.

Marsh and Handscomb secured another great save in Ranchi that year but they were 50s.

 

[Swashbuckler]

For home batsmen, scoring 100s is often too easy. Hence lumping it with performances by visitors may seem unfair and misleading.

 

[Last Monetarist]

I'd have Cook's 190 at Kolkata in 2012 at number 3 on that list.

 

[Mesozoic]

Steve Smith's Pune knock is arguably the best ever by a foreign player on Indian soil. Surprised you missed that.

 

[Aman]

Steve Smith's Pune knock is arguably the best ever by a foreign player on Indian soil. Surprised you missed that.

Because he was dropped a billion times in that innings.

 

[Hasan123]

Steve Smith Pune knock has to be on here. Or 1 of his other 2 centuries. A legendary tour for him that isn't talked about enough.

 

[NishanKonar]

Steve Waugh's hundred in that epic 2001 Eden Gardens was a terrific innings - most of the runs scored with Gillespie & McGrath for company after Harbhajan's hat trick reduced Australia to 269-8

The knock got overshadowed by VVS' heroics but was still a top class innings

 

[NishanKonar]

Sehwag's 83 in Chennai 2008 against England. Set up famous run chase of 387 on Day 5

One of best 4th innings knocks

 

[Ab Fan]

<B>11-20</B>

11. Sachin Tendulkar 103, Chennai 2008

12. Alastair Cook 190, Kolkata 2012

13. Steven Smith 109, Pune 2017

14. Virender Sehwag 293, Mumbai 2009

15. Andy Flower 232, Nagpur 2000

16. Cheteshwar Pujara 92, Bangalore 2017

17. M S Dhoni 224, Chennai 2013

18. Damien Martyn 124, Chennai 2004

19. Virat Kohli 235, Mumbai 2016

20. Cheteshwar Pujara 202, Ranchi 2017

 

[andy0204]

Andrew Hall 163 at Kanpur 2004 is an underrated knock especially coming as an opener.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

I think Gilchrist scored a run a ball ton at the Chinnaswamy in the 1st test in 2004 which pretty much set the tone for a rare series win in India. Extremely underrated knock .

 

[Ab Fan]

I think Gilchrist scored a run a ball ton at the Chinnaswamy in the 1st test in 2004 which pretty much set the tone for a rare series win in India. Extremely underrated knock .

Not sure about this but as you say, I recall his 122 vs India in 1st test 2001 series where he and Hayden took Australia from 99-5 to 350 total. It was a blitzering knock.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

I think Gilchrist scored a run a ball ton at the Chinnaswamy in the 1st test in 2004 which pretty much set the tone for a rare series win in India. Extremely underrated knock .

Martyn and Clarke were more crucial to that series imo. But definitely a great knock

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Not sure about this but as you say, I recall his 122 vs India in 1st test 2001 series where he and Hayden took Australia from 99-5 to 350 total. It was a blitzering knock.

Clarke's debut match

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...alia-1st-test-australia-tour-of-india-2004-05

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Martyn and Clarke were more crucial to that series imo. But definitely a great knock

It's the pace at which he scored. Absolutely destroyed the bowling.

 

[andy0204]

Flintoff played some really good handy knocks in 2006 series.

 

[Ab Fan]

AB de Villiers 298-ball, 43 runs Blockathon in Delhi 2015 also deserves a mention.

 

[anikrc1]

Amla's century where he played close to 400 balls and almost won the series for south africa deserves a mention.

 

[NishanKonar]

Amla's century where he played close to 400 balls and almost won the series for south africa deserves a mention.

To be fair it was flat pitch. It was Dale Steyn's 10 wickets that won South Africa that match

 

[anikrc1]

To be fair it was flat pitch. It was Dale Steyn's 10 wickets that won South Africa that match

Steyn took 10 wickets in the first match. I am talking about the 2d match which india won..amla batted almost 400 balls in the 2d innings and almost drew the match.

 

[last_knight]

180 by Inzamam ul Haq at Bangaluru in 2005 is very underrated. His innings was so fluent and artistic as compared to 280 by Younis Khan in same match.

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

Steve Smith Pune knock has to be on here. Or 1 of his other 2 centuries. A legendary tour for him that isn't talked about enough.

Steve Smith's Pune knock is arguably the best ever by a foreign player on Indian soil. Surprised you missed that.

Steve Smith calls his pune knock a fluke.

https://wisden.com/series-stories/i...teve-smith-rates-famous-pune-hundred-a-fluke?

 

[andy0204]

Steve Smith calls his pune knock a fluke.

https://wisden.com/series-stories/i...teve-smith-rates-famous-pune-hundred-a-fluke?

His Dharmshala knock was much better.

 

[Forward Defensive Push]

Great thread and some very interesting insights! Keep them coming. Personally, I feel Laxman's knock at Kolkata and KP's knock at Mumbai are two all time great knocks worthy of top 10 ever list.

 

[Forward Defensive Push]

Steve Smith calls his pune knock a fluke.

https://wisden.com/series-stories/i...teve-smith-rates-famous-pune-hundred-a-fluke?

More than anything, it displays the humility of the man.

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

Steve Smith Pune knock has to be on here. Or 1 of his other 2 centuries. A legendary tour for him that isn't talked about enough.

Steve Smith's Pune knock is arguably the best ever by a foreign player on Indian soil. Surprised you missed that.

More than anything, it displays the humility of the man.

You wouldn't have said this if you saw that innings, one of the most flukey knock ever he was dropped 5 times and aprt from that he looked totally uncomfortable out there .

Do you rate sachin 80 odd in sf mohali as a great innings?

 

[Forward Defensive Push]

You wouldn't have said this if you saw that innings, one of the most flukey knock ever he was dropped 5 times and aprt from that he looked totally uncomfortable out there .

Do you rate sachin 80 odd in sf mohali as a great innings?

Has Sachin admitted it was a flukey knock?

See - that's my point. I was appreciating the humility of the man. Anyway, even considering he won the match for Australia there, I rate Laxman and KP's innings comfortably ahead.

 

[therealAB]

His Dharmshala knock was much better.

That knock was scary. He was just hitting the bowlers over cover for four. It was Sehwag-esque, shame he got out

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

I will include only the knocks by visitors because that is the real challenge.

In no particular order:

Younis 267 (Bangalore 2005)
Amla 253* (Nagpur 2010)
KP 180 (Mumbai 2012)
Kamran Akmal 109 (Mohali 2005)
Cook 190 (Kolkata 2012)
Martyn 104 (Chennai 2004)
Villiers 217* (Motera 2008)
Steven Smith 109 (Pune 2017)
Andy Flower 232* after following on to save a certain defeat (Nagpur 2000)
Hayden 203 (Chennai 2001)

Few great knocks by batters from NZ/WI/SL miss out like McCullum's 225 in Hyderabad 2010. Chanderpaul had a couple of great 100s, Mahela/Dilshan classy 100s, even BD's Mushi fought hard.

For all his failings, Kamran Akmal and Razzaq's partnership should go into history books as one of the all time greats. Pakistan was essentially 50 odd for 6 in the second innings going into last day. A certain defeat. The counterattack from Akmal (SR 70+) and rear guard from Razzak (SR 27) against Kumble on Day 5 pitch completely upended the the run of play. Akmal deserves to be on this list - as he does on many other batting lists from the gods.

What a wasted talent this Akmal family is.

 

[Hasan123]

You wouldn't have said this if you saw that innings, one of the most flukey knock ever he was dropped 5 times and aprt from that he looked totally uncomfortable out there .

Do you rate sachin 80 odd in sf mohali as a great innings?

Sometimes you need luck.

 

[Bhaijaan]

Just rewatched Laxman’s 281 at Eden Gardens against the Australian juggernaut of *PRIME* McGrath, Gillsepi, Warne and a very competent Kasprovikz.

Given the context, of not just tha match but of Bharatiya cricket fighting for relevance at that time. Staring at an embarrassing home series defeat against arguably the greatest ever test team on par with Windies.

The rarest combination of top quality knock + massive pressure + the opponent being GOAT level.

Say whatever, no knock ever comes close to that effort. VVS pulled it off like magic.