Harsh Thakor
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Here I am rating in order of merit the best ever comebacks staged by a team in a test series.I have assessed state of series and game and strength of opposition.Also included drawn rubbers.
1.England in 1981 Ashes
Herculean or miraculous efforts by Botham literally ressurected England from the grave to reach the pinnacle of glory.On the 4th day at Leeds with England still 92 runs in arrears after following on 227 runs behind,it simply looked curtains for England.The subsequent heroics of Botham who scored a dazzling 148 and Bob Willis who ripped through the heart of the Australians with a blistering spell of 8-43 will be remembered til the game exists.History repeated itself at Edgbaston with Botham's 5-1 spell giving England another miraculous escape or turn around.At Manchester Botham again took England out of the Woods with a blistering 118 to seal the Ashes.We must also never forget the role of Mike Brearley as an architect,who instilled anew spirit into England and displayed tactical mastery.He literally turned Botahm into his orginal self .
2.India versus Australia in 2001 at home
Australia seemed on the brink of winning the series and a record 17th test win in the 2nd test at Kolkata before a spectacular rearguard counter-attack of Rahul Dravid and Laxman who put on 376 runs.What looked game set and Match turned into a nightmare for Australia,reminiscent of 360 degree turn in the plot of a climax of an epic.India stole another thriller at Madras in the final test.I give great credit to Ganguly's leadership .
3.Australia against England in 1936-37 at home.
After being 2 tests down,Australia heroically pulled the trigger to win three consecutive tests,to capture the series.Australia virtually looked like a new side after the 2nd test.
4.West Indies in Australia in 1992-93
By prevailing by a mere whisker at Adelaide the Calypsos sqaured the series before trampling all over Australia to retain the Frank Worrell trophy.Australia came within a mere stroke of clinching the rubber in the 4th test before Walsh dismissed Mcdermott.
5.India in Australia in 2020-21
Beset by a series of injuries India took courage,tenacity and chivalry to a zenith or scale rarely reached.Never in cricket have I witnessed a team fight so unflinchingly in the last innings of a test match,to give such a sensational twist.In addition t spectacularly rose like a phoenix from the Ashes at Melbourne.I have never seen such a clinical effort by a team reminding me of a military batallion with perfect co-ordination,performing any repair job to perfection.Very rare have we witnessed such resilience or application in a crisis reminding one of a set of charters shaping a classic movie or play.
6.England against Australia at home in 2019
Ben Stokes looked like an Ian Botham ressurected in the 3rd test taking England to the pinnacle of glory from he deepest depths of despair.The fate of the Ashes looked sealed before England's spectacular resurgence .
7.West Indies against Australia in 1999 at home
Australia looked like rolling over West Indies till Lara ressurected them to glory with a string of spectacular scores.At Kingston and Barbados on the verge of a humiliating defeat Lara took bowling domination to depth s of the divine,on tricky wickets.Rarely in cricket has a single batsmen given such a twist or turn to a tale.
8.India in Australia in 1980-81
Having been outplayed till the very last day of the tour,India launched a glorious ressurection at Melbourne defending a paltry target of 143,to win by 59 runs.It was truly one of sports most sensational turnabouts with the likes of Dilip Doshi, Karsan Ghavri and Kapil Dev blazing guns.India were massacred at Sydney and saved the 2nd test by the skin of their teeth.Great credit to Sandeep Patil and Gundappa Vishwanath.India thus drew its first rubber on Australian soil.
9.Sri Lanka in Pakistan in 1995
The flowering moment of Sri Lankan cricket who capitalised on the internal problems facing Pakistan cricket.
10.England v Australia at home in 2005
England displayed great fortitude of relentlessness facing the tightest of situations,like an army making a spirited move at every juncture .The heroics of Flintoff and Peiterson shaped famous Ashes win for England combined with the agile leadership g Michael Vaughan.Rarely has England ever looked as rejuvenated as here.Edgbaston test was the perfect illustration of how England fought tenaciously at very juncture.
11.Pakistan in India in 2005
Showing relentless determination and spirit Pakistan overhauled one of the strongest Indian teams to square the series at Bangalore.Overcame every barrier with Younus Khan ,Inzamam and Naved Rana at their best.
12.Pakistan in Australia in 1976-77
Fiery bowling by Imran who captured 12-165 and classic batting by Asif Iqbal enabled Pakistan to draw their 1st rubber on Australian soil.Pakistan revived to get their act together after facing a humiliating defeat in the 2nd test at Melbourne.
1.England in 1981 Ashes
Herculean or miraculous efforts by Botham literally ressurected England from the grave to reach the pinnacle of glory.On the 4th day at Leeds with England still 92 runs in arrears after following on 227 runs behind,it simply looked curtains for England.The subsequent heroics of Botham who scored a dazzling 148 and Bob Willis who ripped through the heart of the Australians with a blistering spell of 8-43 will be remembered til the game exists.History repeated itself at Edgbaston with Botham's 5-1 spell giving England another miraculous escape or turn around.At Manchester Botham again took England out of the Woods with a blistering 118 to seal the Ashes.We must also never forget the role of Mike Brearley as an architect,who instilled anew spirit into England and displayed tactical mastery.He literally turned Botahm into his orginal self .
2.India versus Australia in 2001 at home
Australia seemed on the brink of winning the series and a record 17th test win in the 2nd test at Kolkata before a spectacular rearguard counter-attack of Rahul Dravid and Laxman who put on 376 runs.What looked game set and Match turned into a nightmare for Australia,reminiscent of 360 degree turn in the plot of a climax of an epic.India stole another thriller at Madras in the final test.I give great credit to Ganguly's leadership .
3.Australia against England in 1936-37 at home.
After being 2 tests down,Australia heroically pulled the trigger to win three consecutive tests,to capture the series.Australia virtually looked like a new side after the 2nd test.
4.West Indies in Australia in 1992-93
By prevailing by a mere whisker at Adelaide the Calypsos sqaured the series before trampling all over Australia to retain the Frank Worrell trophy.Australia came within a mere stroke of clinching the rubber in the 4th test before Walsh dismissed Mcdermott.
5.India in Australia in 2020-21
Beset by a series of injuries India took courage,tenacity and chivalry to a zenith or scale rarely reached.Never in cricket have I witnessed a team fight so unflinchingly in the last innings of a test match,to give such a sensational twist.In addition t spectacularly rose like a phoenix from the Ashes at Melbourne.I have never seen such a clinical effort by a team reminding me of a military batallion with perfect co-ordination,performing any repair job to perfection.Very rare have we witnessed such resilience or application in a crisis reminding one of a set of charters shaping a classic movie or play.
6.England against Australia at home in 2019
Ben Stokes looked like an Ian Botham ressurected in the 3rd test taking England to the pinnacle of glory from he deepest depths of despair.The fate of the Ashes looked sealed before England's spectacular resurgence .
7.West Indies against Australia in 1999 at home
Australia looked like rolling over West Indies till Lara ressurected them to glory with a string of spectacular scores.At Kingston and Barbados on the verge of a humiliating defeat Lara took bowling domination to depth s of the divine,on tricky wickets.Rarely in cricket has a single batsmen given such a twist or turn to a tale.
8.India in Australia in 1980-81
Having been outplayed till the very last day of the tour,India launched a glorious ressurection at Melbourne defending a paltry target of 143,to win by 59 runs.It was truly one of sports most sensational turnabouts with the likes of Dilip Doshi, Karsan Ghavri and Kapil Dev blazing guns.India were massacred at Sydney and saved the 2nd test by the skin of their teeth.Great credit to Sandeep Patil and Gundappa Vishwanath.India thus drew its first rubber on Australian soil.
9.Sri Lanka in Pakistan in 1995
The flowering moment of Sri Lankan cricket who capitalised on the internal problems facing Pakistan cricket.
10.England v Australia at home in 2005
England displayed great fortitude of relentlessness facing the tightest of situations,like an army making a spirited move at every juncture .The heroics of Flintoff and Peiterson shaped famous Ashes win for England combined with the agile leadership g Michael Vaughan.Rarely has England ever looked as rejuvenated as here.Edgbaston test was the perfect illustration of how England fought tenaciously at very juncture.
11.Pakistan in India in 2005
Showing relentless determination and spirit Pakistan overhauled one of the strongest Indian teams to square the series at Bangalore.Overcame every barrier with Younus Khan ,Inzamam and Naved Rana at their best.
12.Pakistan in Australia in 1976-77
Fiery bowling by Imran who captured 12-165 and classic batting by Asif Iqbal enabled Pakistan to draw their 1st rubber on Australian soil.Pakistan revived to get their act together after facing a humiliating defeat in the 2nd test at Melbourne.
