The first Test between India and New Zealand at Kanpur witnessed a meek surrender by the visitors capitulate for a score of 236 while chasing a mammoth target of 434, thereby handing the Indians a 197-run victory. On a turning pitch, Ravichandran Ashwin & Co cut short the Blackcaps’ pursuit by dismissing them in the 2nd session of Day 5.
Teams batting fourth during Tests in India, however, have not always failed to pull off a chase. In fact, there have been quite a few instances when targets between 250 and 400 have been brought down by the batting side with the home team having done it on most occasions.
Let’s take a look at the top 5 chases that have been carried out on Indian soil in Tests:
5) 262 for 5 – India vs New Zealand at Bangalore, 2012
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New Zealand played a 2-Test series the last time they came touring to India back in the year 2012. While the Indians handed the visitors a sound thrashing by an innings and 115 runs in the first Test at Hyderabad, the Kiwis bounced back well and gave India a competitive target of 261 in the 2nd Test at Bangalore.
A solid 77-run partnership at the top of the order between Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir set the platform for India’s chase. When both of them were dismissed in quick succession with the hosts at 83 for 2, Sachin Tendulkar and Cheteshwar Pujara added 69 for the 3rd wicket to put the innings back on track.
However, New Zealand piled on the pressure by getting wickets of Tendulkar, Pujara and Suresh Raina within the space of just 14 runs. MS Dhoni joined Virat Kohli at the crease and the duo put together quick runs to tilt the momentum in India’s favour.
An unbeaten 96-run stand between Kohli and Dhoni ensured that the Indian team achieved victory by 5 wickets and took the series 2-0.
4) 276 for 5 – India vs West Indies at Delhi, 2011
The 1st Test of the West Indies’ tour to India in 2011 was played at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in Delhi. Led by a century from iconic batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the tourists got 304 in their first innings and then produced a fine bowling performance to restrict the hosts to 209.
India hit back at the West Indians by bowling them out in the 2nd innings for a paltry total of 180, giving themselves a target of 276 runs to win the Test. Dashing opener Virender Sehwag set the tone with an innings of 55 in as many balls whereas Gautam Gambhir and Rahul Dravid made some handy contributions.
Sachin Tendulkar top-scored for Team India with his 76 off 148 deliveries and took them to within striking distance of the target. After his dismissal, it was VVS Laxman who steered the chase with an unbeaten 58 and the Indians won comfortably by a margin of 5 wickets.
3) 276 for 5 – West Indies vs India at Delhi, 1987
During the 1987/88 season, the West Indies cricket team visited India for a 4-match Test series. In the 1st Test played at Delhi, the Indians started off terribly as they were blown away for just 75 in their first innings but came back strongly as they dismissed the men from the Caribbean for 127.
A century by Dilip Vengsarkar in India’s 2nd innings helped them score 327 and leave the West Indians with a target of 276 runs to chase. Indian off-spinner Arshad Ayub had them in trouble by getting the wickets of Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes and Winston Davis and they were reeling at 111 for 4.
However, with Viv Richards still out there in the middle, the game was far from over for the West Indies. The legendary batsman hammered an unbeaten 109 off just 111 balls as his team romped home to victory with 5 of their wickets still intact.
This remains the highest successful fourth innings run chase by a touring team on Indian soil.
2) 347 all out – India vs Australia at Madras, 1986
The M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Madras (now Chennai) witnessed a spectacle like no other during the first Test of Australia’s tour to India back in the year 1986. The Aussies made the most of a placid pitch by posting a mammoth 574 on the board in their 1st innings with Dean Jones hitting a double century.
The Indians, meanwhile, rode on all-rounder Kapil Dev’s strokeful 119 to get to 397 when they batted. The visitors declared their 2nd innings on a score of 170 for 5 and gave the hosts a formidable target of 347 to secure a victory and take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Ace batsman Sunil Gavaskar led from the front and produced a brilliant knock of 90 while the likes of Mohinder Amarnath, Mohammad Azharuddin and Chandrakant Pandit made valuable contributions. India looked all set to win as Ravi Shastri was out in the middle unbeaten on 48 but Australia nailed Maninder Singh for a duck to ensure a tied match.
1) 387 for 4 – India vs England at Chennai, 2008
Perhaps the greatest chase on Indian soil was registered by the home team at Chennai during England’s tour to the country in the year 2008. In the 1st Test of a 2-match series, Andrew Strauss’ 123 took England to a 1st innings score of 316 after they won the toss and batted first.
The Indians, however, conceded a lead of 75 runs to the English side as they were dismissed for 241 in their first essay. Strauss scored yet another century in the 2nd innings and was accompanied by Paul Collingwood as the visitors set an improbable 387-run target for India.
Virender Sehwag, however, walked in with an intention to win the match for India and blasted 83 from 68 balls in the final session of Day 4 to give the team a perfect platform for victory. On day 5, though, the home side was in a bit of bother at 224 for 4 with the likes of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman having got out.
However, the great Sachin Tendulkar was still at the crease and joined forces with Yuvraj Singh to help India cruise to victory with an unbeaten 163-run partnership. While the master batsman scored 103 not out, Yuvraj belted 85 off 131 deliveries in the process of securing a 6-wicket win for India.
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