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Top 5 Test innings of the last five years?

ForeverIndian

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1) Faf du Plessis's epic at Adelaide

2) Brendon McCullum's triple hundred against India

3) Michael Clarke's 161 against South Africa

4) Ajinkya Rahane's 100 on a greentop at Lords

5)Asad Shafiq's hundred at Cape town
 
1) Michael Clarke 151 on a greentop where the pitch was unplayable on day 1 and 2.

2) McCullum's miraculous 302

3) Faf du Plessis' debut match saving hundred

4) Rahane's match winning century on a Lord's greentop on day 1

5) Kev Pietersen's 186 on a square turner in Mumbai
 
My vote, and this is deadly serious, goes to Stuart Broad's 6 from 77 balls in the 3rd Test at Auckland in 2012-13.

That innings was made under huge pressure: the Test and the series hung on it.

It was the perfect "save a match which is already lost" innings.

I actually consider it to be the best innings this century, ahead of FAF's three astonishing fourth innings epics.
 
Now this is a great thread instead of the boring Lara SRT Ponting debates that is done to death.

My list would be (considering both pressure and toughness combo):

1. Faf Du Plessis Adelaide 100 - Against INCREDIBLE pressure he saved the test. Its not even an ATG but a GOAT knock. That knock enabled SA to win the series in Australia.

2. Kohli's 4th innings 141 Adelaide knock on a spitting pitch against Lyon in full form - A Laraesque knock where Kohli went to attemtp a win against ALL odds...the SR with which he went to score that century was incredible...that's the only knock of his in Australia that I rate (in the last tour) and I rate that one like crazy...if the match had been won, it would been the greatest Test knock by an Indian ever (or at the very least been No 2 next to Laxman's 281)...that's how good that knock was

3. Clarke's 151 (85 SR) against rampaging SA on a green track - He was simply astounding....wow wow wow...kept on attacking on a swinging, seaming pitch

Here's the scorecard for people to see how brilliant that knock is - http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/514029.html

Pure quality wise, its the BEST knock out there. But quality + pressure wise, I would put it at No 3 cos the other 2 were just amazing.

4. B Mac's 300 to deny India a victory - Yes we dropped catches but BMac did the incredible...played a marathon innings to take his team from a sure shot loss to a draw...a stunning innings.

I put it at No 4 because the track had flattened out and Indian bowling was weak and catches were dropped. Pressure wise, its right up there but the above 3 deserve to be ahead of this knock IMHO.

5. Rahane's 100 on Lord's green top when the pitch was unplayable on Day 1 - Rahane is a pocket dynamite in Tests.....when we were looking at a collapse, he struck a partnership with Bhuvi and helped us get a competitive total....was carting the England bowling towards the end of his innings.
 
Oh God I forgot KP's 186 in Mumbai.

That's No 5 for me.

Sorry Rahane. Your knock was amazing but KP's was simply superior.
 
Great picks by Sensible Indian Fan.

Although still I'm trolling myself by sticking with Stuart Broad's 6 from 77 balls. Seriously!
 
Another innings that is not mentioned in the OP , is warner's 1st hundred against newzealand in Hobart. Terrific display of fear-less batting on a green-top, albeit for a losing cause.

I am not sure if VVS's epic 96, in durban - 2010, is fulfilling the criteria or not. If it does, then it has to be the mother all the innings described in the OP. That surface, where VVS scored that epic innings, was simply unplayable!
 
Why nobody's talking about Mathews' match winning hundred? I thought it was better than Rahane's and Kohli's hundreds.
 
Top 5 Knocks Pure Quality Wise (without taking match context or pressure into account)

1. Clarke's 151 in Cape Town (85 SR on green track against the best bowling lineup)

2. KP's 186 in Mumbai (murdered us on a rank turner - the shots he started playing towards the end were mindboggling...simply tore apart Ojha who was in superb flow...Ashwin with his poor form was dead meat anyway but ewven Ojha was taken apart - at his best KP is as good as Lara and Viv)

3. Rahane's 100 in Lords (greetop against a very very good bowling lineup)

4. SRT's 146 in Cape Town (wasn't a dominating knock but boy o boy - facing a murderous Steyn at his peak in swinging conditions - that match will be known for SRT wearing down Steyn and Gambhir wearing down Morkel - I think they faced these 2 bowlers non stop for 10 overs or so without rotating strike (don't remember the exact number) - Steyn bowled 66 balls in a murderous 2 spells of which 48 were played by SRT....but the rest 18 caused 2 wickets and the whole spell yielded 13 runs - such was Steyn's dominance)

5. Kohli's 141 in Adelaide (goes to 5th because Lyon was the only threatening bowler - others were just fine - but the pitch was tough bcos it was spinning and bouncing)
 
Another innings that is not mentioned in the OP , is warner's 1st hundred against newzealand in Hobart. Terrific display of fear-less batting on a green-top, albeit for a losing cause.

I am not sure if VVS's epic 96, in durban - 2010, is fulfilling the criteria or not. If it does, then it has to be the mother all the innings described in the OP. That surface, where VVS scored that epic innings, was simply unplayable!

2010 counts.

I forgot VVS knock.

That's an amazing knock both quality wise and pressure wis.e

Damn it. I have to adjust my list again.

:facepalm:
 
1) Faf du Plessis's epic at Adelaide

2) Brendon McCullum's triple hundred against India

3) Michael Clarke's 161 against South Africa

4) Ajinkya Rahane's 100 on a greentop at Lords

5)Asad Shafiq's hundred at Cape town

Yk 111 [MENTION=72950]c[/MENTION]ape Town 2013

Asad Shafiq 107 [MENTION=72950]c[/MENTION]ape Town 2013

McCullum 302 @Wellington 2014

Faf Du Plessis 134 [MENTION=42003]Johannes[/MENTION]burg 2013

McCullum 202 @Sharjah 2014
 
Wasn't there a Test in New Zealand where Matt Prior batted all of day 5 for a series-saving ton? That was a good one.
 
Yk 111 [MENTION=72950]c[/MENTION]ape Town 2013

Asad Shafiq 107 [MENTION=72950]c[/MENTION]ape Town 2013

McCullum 302 @Wellington 2014


Faf Du Plessis 134 [MENTION=42003]Johannes[/MENTION]burg 2013

McCullum 202 @Sharjah 2014

Standard, quality Test knocks - clearly not worthy of top 5. The other three knocks you mentioned were far better.
 
Fastest 4th innings chase by Azhar? Gave us an impossible victory.
 
The Vivian Richards equalizer hundred by Misbah?

This was a fun innings under no pressure though.
 
1. Faf duplessis vs Australia in Australia

2. Faf duplessis vs india in SA

3 . Macullim's triple ton vs india

4. Kohli's ton vs Australia in Australia

5. Sarfraz's 47 vs srilanka in sharjah
 
Standard, quality Test knocks - clearly not worthy of top 5. The other three knocks you mentioned were far better.

Shafiq agree, but McCullum? :inti\

That McCullum triple is one of the all time great knocks no matter if the pitch eased out or the bowlers were freaking awful (lolIndia). There's never been a knock of that quality which has literally pulled a team from such depths of certain defeat to safety. Series winning knock. Sometimes, the match situation is so dire that it takes precedence over simply the quality of opposition bowling or the nature of the pitch. Up there with Hanif Mohammad's 337 as the greatest match saving innings ever.
 
I'd like to mention Jacques Kallis' hundred against us in Capetown test of 2011(same match where Sachin scored 146) in the second innings. SA were in lots of trouble at 130 odd for 5 or 6 down with only a small lead. Harbhajan was turning and bouncing the ball viciously off the rough and it looked like only a matter of time before we wrapped up the innings and won the series 2-1.

Instead, Kallis (who had a torn stomach muscle) started outrageously reverse sweeping Harbhajan out of the rough against the spin and took the game away from us. Dhoni went on the defensive and Kallis single handedly managed to save the match for SA. Great knock.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-india-2010/content/story/495562.html
 
I'd like to mention Jacques Kallis' hundred against us in Capetown test of 2011(same match where Sachin scored 146) in the second innings. SA were in lots of trouble at 130 odd for 5 or 6 down with only a small lead. Harbhajan was turning and bouncing the ball viciously off the rough and it looked like only a matter of time before we wrapped up the innings and won the series 2-1.

Instead, Kallis (who had a torn stomach muscle) started outrageously reverse sweeping Harbhajan out of the rough against the spin and took the game away from us. Dhoni went on the defensive and Kallis single handedly managed to save the match for SA. Great knock.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-india-2010/content/story/495562.html

Haha.. [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION]...we win. ;-)
 
Let's compile all the knocks that were forgotten and then decide:

1. VVS knock (to be honest it was superior to SRT's and Rahane's considering context as well as quality)
2. Matt Prior knock (extremely good pressure wise)
3. Sanga's 200 when the track was green in NZ (he rode out the storm and then flattened NZ - not his fault SL went on to lose the game)
4. Amla's Perth knock
5. McCullum assualt against Pak in UAE which won them a game

Anything else?
 
Shafiq agree, but McCullum? :inti\

That McCullum triple is one of the all time great knocks no matter if the pitch eased out or the bowlers were freaking awful (lolIndia). There's never been a knock of that quality which has literally pulled a team from such depths of certain defeat to safety. Series winning knock. Sometimes, the match situation is so dire that it takes precedence over simply the quality of opposition bowling or the nature of the pitch. Up there with Hanif Mohammad's 337 as the greatest match saving innings ever.

Sorry, I highlighted the wrong innings.

I meant to say that Shafiq and Younis' innings were good but not great; McCullum one was all-time great stuff.
 

He asked you whether you are an Indian or Pakistani in the other thread due to your class posts.

I replied to him saying I wanted to know the same and had been meaning to ask you.

He then said it would make him feel great if you were a Pakistani due to your crystal clear thinking.

It turns out you are an Indian.

So I am rubbing it in.

Just a small banter between me and him. ;-)
 
He asked you whether you are an Indian or Pakistani in the other thread due to your class posts.

I replied to him saying I wanted to know the same and had been meaning to ask you.

He then said it would make him feel great if you were a Pakistani due to your crystal clear thinking.

It turns out you are an Indian.

So I am rubbing it in.

Just a small banter between me and him. ;-)

Haha no problem. Posters from all countries can be level-headed and sensible or deluded fanboys.
 
Let's compile all the knocks that were forgotten and then decide:

1. VVS knock (to be honest it was superior to SRT's and Rahane's considering context as well as quality)
2. Matt Prior knock (extremely good pressure wise)
3. Sanga's 200 when the track was green in NZ (he rode out the storm and then flattened NZ - not his fault SL went on to lose the game)
4. Amla's Perth knock
5. McCullum assualt against Pak in UAE which won them a game

Anything else?

I would add:

1) Darren Bravo's double century to save the match vs NZ when they were following on and trailing by 400 runs

2) Mahela Jayawardene's 180 (out of a team score of 318) vs England in Galle where the pitch offered assistance to both pacers and spinners from day1.

3) Kallis vs India at Capetown

4) Kevin Pietersen's 149 vs SA at Headingley. Purely for the way he demolished the world's best fast bowler in Steyn and the circumstances surrounding the innings (the controversial texting incident).

5) Don't know if it counts since it was in 2010, but Laxman's 73* to single handedly chase down 220 odd with an injured back after we were 120-8.
 
I would add:

1) Darren Bravo's double century to save the match vs NZ when they were following on and trailing by 400 runs

2) Mahela Jayawardene's 180 (out of a team score of 318) vs England in Galle where the pitch offered assistance to both pacers and spinners from day1.

3) Kallis vs India at Capetown

4) Kevin Pietersen's 149 vs SA at Headingley. Purely for the way he demolished the world's best fast bowler in Steyn and the circumstances surrounding the innings (the controversial texting incident).

5) Don't know if it counts since it was in 2010, but Laxman's 73* to single handedly chase down 220 odd with an injured back after we were 120-8.

Great list.

That would help us find the Top 5 in a better way.
 
Standard, quality Test knocks - clearly not worthy of top 5. The other three knocks you mentioned were far better.

McCullum's 302 was arguably one of the greatest ever knocks and came when NZ were 250 behind and had been reduced to 94/5 in the 3rd innings. It would have been rated higher than Laxman's 281 had NZ won the match (and had the umpire given kohli out when he knicked it).

It was a joy to watch Shafiq play and he played brillantly that day in what was his first major away tour. To score a century coming in at 30 odd for 4 in seaming conditions was brilliant - especially considering the huge home advantage that teams have nowadays. Again, his knock would have been rated higher if we had not lost that match lol
 
McCullum's 302 was arguably one of the greatest ever knocks and came when NZ were 250 behind and had been reduced to 94/5 in the 3rd innings. It would have been rated higher than Laxman's 281 had NZ won the match (and had the umpire given kohli out when he knicked it).

It was a joy to watch Shafiq play and he played brillantly that day in what was his first major away tour. To score a century coming in at 30 odd for 4 in seaming conditions was brilliant - especially considering the huge home advantage that teams have nowadays. Again, his knock would have been rated higher if we had not lost that match lol

I already clarified that I mistakenly highlighted McCullum's knock. I meant Asad and Younis.

McCullum's knock was ATG material.
 
Sanga's 100 in SA in 2011 than enabled SL to win their first ever Test in SA. That's something for the hat.
 
I already clarified that I mistakenly highlighted McCullum's knock. I meant Asad and Younis.

McCullum's knock was ATG material.

I would rate YK knock as one of the finest overseas centuries in recent times - considering the ball was seaming and swinging and we had been reduced to 20/4.

Most of the other knocks on my list were phenomenal innings by any standards but they were all played on flat phattas.
 
Asad's ton at cape town vs SA
Sarfraz's ton vs NewZealand
Micheal Clarke double ton vs India


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Clarke, Faf, Rahane, VVS, Mac, KP, Kallis, Amla & Clarke have payed one knock each which can be a contender for the top 5. I may be missing some others here.
 
If most defining innings are considered then Mathews 160 in England should be a contender too. A series winning innings.

KP's run a ball 150 in SL is another matching winning one.
 
I would rate YK knock as one of the finest overseas centuries in recent times - considering the ball was seaming and swinging and we had been reduced to 20/4.

Most of the other knocks on my list were phenomenal innings by any standards but they were all played on flat phattas.

It actually wasn't; the Cape Town wicket was slow and dry, and you'd expect a player of his experience to cash in and he did. He was nowhere to be found in the first and third Tests where there was extra bounce and pace. On the dry surface of Cape Town, Ajmal almost single-handedly won us the game but he too went through the motions in the first and third Tests.

Younis' overseas performances are a little overstated and he's a a flat-track bully these days. He has been an ordinary player of pace for a number of years now, and I think he was lucky to miss the tours of Australia and England in 2010. I really don't expect him to score much when we tour there next year.
 
It actually wasn't; the Cape Town wicket was slow and dry, and you'd expect a player of his experience to cash in and he did. He was nowhere to be found in the first and third Tests where there was extra bounce and pace. On the dry surface of Cape Town, Ajmal almost single-handedly won us the game but he too went through the motions in the first and third Tests.

Younis' overseas performances are a little overstated and he's a a flat-track bully these days. He has been an ordinary player of pace for a number of years now, and I think he was lucky to miss the tours of Australia and England in 2010. I really don't expect him to score much when we tour there next year.

Compared to Centurion/Durban/Port Elizabeth - Newlands may have been on the slower side but there was still plenty for the pacers on Day 1.

Our batting capitulated in the 3rd innings - otherwise we could have had a rare away victory.

YK hasn't played too many away tests in recent years but he scored big against NZ in Wellington 2011 (73, 81) and scored a double century against Zimbabwe.

Unfortunately, he missed out on the WI tour of 2011.

I don't think he would be as prolific as he has been in the subcontinent but I would expect him to score a hundred if we did tour England/Australia sometime soon
 
Can Pujara's 145 not out against Sri Lanka make this list? Very difficult pitch to bat on, the series decider and his career on the line and forced to bat at an unfamiliar position just to adjust a clown , the guy plays an absolute gem of an innings.
 
Why nobody mentioning Chandimals recent knock ? It was a miracle of epic proportions.
 
My vote, and this is deadly serious, goes to Stuart Broad's 6 from 77 balls in the 3rd Test at Auckland in 2012-13.

That innings was made under huge pressure: the Test and the series hung on it.

It was the perfect "save a match which is already lost" innings.

I actually consider it to be the best innings this century, ahead of FAF's three astonishing fourth innings epics.

Do you not rate Prior's innings more?
 
Can Pujara's 145 not out against Sri Lanka make this list? Very difficult pitch to bat on, the series decider and his career on the line and forced to bat at an unfamiliar position just to adjust a clown , the guy plays an absolute gem of an innings.

No. Not in top 5.
 
Amla's triple against England, in England, with the #1 test spot on the line hasn't received a mention? Talk about underrated. If we're talking about the last five years, he's played at least three more that can be considered contenders.

Younis Khan's amazing century against Sri Lanka, in the decider was much better than Pujara's. KP's series-turning innings against India and Misbah's fastest century of ALL TIME, also deserve to be mentioned.
 
Many innings from the two recent series played in SL can oust Asad and Clarke's knocks.

Pujara, Younis, Chandimal knocks come to mind.
 
1) McCullum 302 vs India - Wellington 2014
2) YK 111 vs SAF - Cape Town 2013
3) Faf Du Plessis 134 vs India - Johannesburg 2013
4) Kane Williamson 242 vs Sri Lanka - Wellington 2015
5) Amla 311 vs England - The Oval 2012

Honorable Mentions: BJ Watling 142 vs Sri Lanka, BJ Watling 124 vs India, McCullum 202 vs Pakistan. Clarke 329 vs India, Dravid 146 vs England, YK 171 vs Sri Lanka
 
1) McCullum 302 vs India - Wellington 2014
2) YK 111 vs SAF - Cape Town 2013
3) Faf Du Plessis 134 vs India - Johannesburg 2013
4) Kane Williamson 242 vs Sri Lanka - Wellington 2015
5) Amla 311 vs England - The Oval 2012

Honorable Mentions: BJ Watling 142 vs Sri Lanka, BJ Watling 124 vs India, McCullum 202 vs Pakistan. Clarke 329 vs India, Dravid 146 vs England, YK 171 vs Sri Lanka
[MENTION=134809]sensible-indian-fan[/MENTION] [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] [MENTION=138483]Stallion__[/MENTION] [MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION] [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION]
 
I just realized i had commented on this thread several months ago lol

3 out of my top 5 have not changed #consistency
 
For me the list changes again.

Pressure + Quality combo (Context)

No 1 and No 2 Tie - Faf Du Plessis match saving 100 in Adelaide and Younis Khan's 170 against SL (I can keep arguing which is better but let's just call it a tie - Faf was more gutsier with a better bowling attack but to score 170 on a series decider coming at 7-2 is a stuff of legends - Even GOAT batsmen would be super proud of that knock)

No 3 - Kohli's 4th innings epic in Adelaide (sheer guts - can't forget the audacity and the way he batted)

No 4 - Clarke's 151 on a green seaming track (sheer jaw dropping awesomeness)

No 5 - Match saving 300 marathon by Bmac (never said die from the hopeless situation and won the series for his side)

Sanga's 200 in NZ, Mathews 150 in England, Root knocks, Pujara's last 100, Bmac's 200 against Pakistan and others which I may have forgotten - all deserve special mention.
 
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[MENTION=134809]sensible-indian-fan[/MENTION] [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] [MENTION=138483]Stallion__[/MENTION] [MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION] [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION]

Interesting choices bro.

But I feel Younis's knock in SL was better and Faf's knock against Aus was better.
 
Azhar Ali's Hundred while chasing down 302 against SL in 59 overs.

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Amla's triple against England, in England, with the #1 test spot on the line hasn't received a mention? Talk about underrated. If we're talking about the last five years, he's played at least three more that can be considered contenders.

Younis Khan's amazing century against Sri Lanka, in the decider was much better than Pujara's. KP's series-turning innings against India and Misbah's fastest century of ALL TIME, also deserve to be mentioned.

Remember that epic 20 Amla made against XYZ team in A BCD year ? That also deserves to be here .
 
I believe the best knock of an era should come against the best bowling of the era.

Laxman's 96 or Clarke's Cape Town epic.

In terms of epic phaintas, i will never forget KP's phainta to Steyn in 2012. Flat pitch though, but still epic.
 
I removed 2010 from the list cos it was too far away and isalmost about out of the criteria.

Or else Laxman deserves to be up there.
 
Azhar Ali innings against SL tops my list when we were chasing 300+ target on day 5 after lunch.
 
1. Clarke 161* in Cape Town
2. YK in SL 3rd Test
3. KP 186 Mumbai
4. Du Plessis rearguard in Adelaide
5. Rahane special at Lords

- by that ranking
 
Actually I am tempred to include Mathews 160 matchwinning knock at Leeds.

Not sure whether to remove Faf or Rahane knock
 
1) McCullum 302 vs India - Wellington 2014
2) YK 111 vs SAF - Cape Town 2013
3) Faf Du Plessis 134 vs India - Johannesburg 2013
4) Kane Williamson 242 vs Sri Lanka - Wellington 2015
5) Amla 311 vs England - The Oval 2012

Honorable Mentions: BJ Watling 142 vs Sri Lanka, BJ Watling 124 vs India, McCullum 202 vs Pakistan. Clarke 329 vs India, Dravid 146 vs England, YK 171 vs Sri Lanka


Hmmm. Sounds a different list.

Btw, why YK's knock ahead of Shafiq's during Cape Town partnership?

I feel its was YK's dismissal which triggered the collapse. He got out just before the end of first day, with the ball still new. We only have our tail to bat after that and Shafiq wasn't the man who could shepherd the tail, so he succumbed to the pressure at the start of the next day. Had YK survived that day, we would have posted 80-120 runs more and would have realistic chance of beating SA.

I would say, Sanga's 203 in that Wellington match deserve a mention, better than Watling's 142 in the same match atleast.

Interesting list nonetheless.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------​


Few of the knocks are slipping under the radar.

-) Jayawardene's 180 vs England at Galle
-) Amla's 139 vs SL SSC 2014
-) Samaraweera's ton during SL's Durban victory
-) Amla's 196 at Perth
-) Darren Dravo's double ton at Dunedin 2013
 
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My best five (batting):

1. Sanga 203 at Wellington
2. Baz 302 at Wellington
3. Faf hundred at Adelaide
4. KP 186 at Mumbai
5. Amla 311* at the Oval
 
No mention of misbahs fastest hundred against Australia.. hmmm.
 
Which batsman has played the most number of great innings, that are in the running here? KP should feature high, so should Amla and Sangakarra. Surprising, de Villiers hasn't been mentioned at all.
 
1) Faf du Plessis's epic at Adelaide

2) Brendon McCullum's triple hundred against India

3) Michael Clarke's 161 against South Africa

4) Ajinkya Rahane's 100 on a greentop at Lords

5)Asad Shafiq's hundred at Cape town


From the 1st look, I can tell you have missed 2 of the best (not only in last 5 years, probably ever)
1. KP's 186
2. YK's 177*

I 'll tale Asad & Rahne from your list to add these 2.

KP, Mac, YK, Faf & MC 'll be my order.
 
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