5 eye-catching coincidences in Indian Cricket

We all have heard the saying about Cricket that it’s a very unpredictable game, you never know what comes up the next moment. This unpredictable sport over the years has witnessed some bizarre as well as amazing and captivating coincidences in Indian Cricket history, the instances that have been common in some aspects in two or more games.Let’s take a look at 7 such coincidences in Indian Cricket.

#1 MS Dhoni -The Luckiest non-striker

Dhoni has been the luckiest non-striker in Indian Cricket

We have all known Dhoni as the best finisher, best captain, and by many more titles like these, we have witnessed Dhoni take India home on several occasions by his finishing abilities. How can anyone forget his 6 of Nuwan Kulasekara that made India lift its second World Cup in 2011.

But except for all this, Dhoni has also been the luckiest non-striker in the history of Indian Cricket. He was in the best place to witness some of the best innings ever played in Indian Cricket. Dhoni was the non-striker when Yuvraj Singh hit 6 sixes of Stuart Broad in the inaugural edition of the World T20 in 2007. Also, he was the first person to congratulate Sachin Tendulkar when he scored the first 200 in ODI’s on 24 February 2010 as he was on the other end.

Months later he witnessed the first T20 international hundred by an Indian when Suresh Raina scored 101 against the Proteas in the World T20 2010. Next time, it was Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni in the centre when the former smashed 209 of just 158 deliveries against Australia in November 2013.

This was Rohit Sharma’s first and overall 3rd double hundred in ODI cricket by that time. MS Dhoni would cherish these moments all his life that he had the best seat in the stadium when history was being made.

#2 Kohli went and Rohit scored big

Rohit Sharma celebrates his 200 vs Sri Lanka

Rohit Sharma is the only batsman to score 2 double tons in ODI cricket history and the coincidence associated with both his double hundreds is that on both the occasions, he got Virat Kohli run out. Although one cannot say that it was not intentional but poor calling or lack of understanding between the batsmen might have been the reason on both the occasions.

It was the 7th ODI versus Australia in Bangalore in 2013 when Kohli was out for a duck and was devastated at Sharma for not responding to his call. However, Rohit carried on and went on to become only the third batsman to score a double hundred in ODI’s, hitting 16 sixes as well.

On the second occasion, it was Sri Lanka at the receiving end of the carnage from the Hitman, this time, Kohli was run out for 64 and once again Sharma took the responsibility of the Indian innings and went on to make the highest ever individual score in ODI’s, he smashed 264 in a mere 173 deliveries.

#3 Relation between selectors and World Cups

India won the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup

India won its first World Cup in 1983 and Dilip Vengsarkar, K Srikanth and Sandeep Patil were all part of the 1983 World Cup winning team. Surprisingly enough, decades later, all three of them won another World Cup as the chief selectors for the Indian team.

In 2007, Dilip Vengsarkar was the chief selector when India won the inaugural World T20 in South Africa, K Srikanth was the chief selector when India lifted the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 at home and Sandeep Patil won the Champions Trophy in 2013 as the chief selector.

Currently, Roger Binny, another team member of the 1983 triumph is the selector and with World T20 2016 going on, can we expect another World Cup victory this time around?

#4 Ravi Shastri, Yuvraj Singh and 6 sixes

Yuvraj Singh hit 6 sixes off Stuart Broad

In 1985, Ravi Shastri smashed Tilak Raj for 6 sixes in an over in a first-class match and became the first Indian to reach the feat. 22 years later, Yuvraj Singh did the same in 2007 World T20 when he hit England’s Stuart Broad for 6 massive maximums in an over at the Kingsmead in South Africa and Ravi Shastri was in the commentary box when Yuvi did the impossible.

We still remember Shastri screaming in excitement, “And he has put it away, or has he, 6 sixes in an over”.

Now, what were the chances of the first Indian to do so being in the commentary box when second Indian reached the milestone?

#5 Sachin missed and Dhoni fired

Dhoni celebrates his 183 against Sri Lanka

It was the 2nd ODI of the India versus Pakistan series in 2004-05 at Vizag, when Sachin got out for a score of just 2 runs and MS Dhoni got a chance to walk in early to the centre. The Ranchi-born wicketkeeper launched himself at the International arena by smashing 148 of a mere 123 deliveries. He shared a 96 runs stand with Virender Sehwag for the third wicket and resurrected the Indian innings.

Interestingly, months later in an ODI against Sri Lanka at Jaipur, the Master once again went back cheaply for just 2 runs and this time, MSD bettered his 148 and smashed an unbeaten 183 against the Lankans which is his highest ODI score to date. This time too he and Virender Sehwag shared a 92 runs stand for the 3rd wicket and reinstated the Indian innings.

On both the occasions, Sachin got out cheaply and Mahendra Singh Dhoni scored his best.