Flashback: The only 2 instances of India not losing a wicket in day’s play in 21st century Tests
Test cricket is widely regarded as the hardest of the three international formats. After all, players need to showcase remarkable resilience, mental grit and patience to thrive in the purest version of the game. Scoring runs in Test cricket also takes some beating as bowlers look for wickets without caring much about the run-flow. Moreover, the red ball tends to do more talking than the white one and the close-in fielders are the cherry on the cake.
Hence, surviving in the longest format isn’t easy for batters. Nevertheless, there have been days when batsmen have given bowlers a hard time on the field. In fact, there have been instances of no wickets falling in an entire day. In the 21st century, only twice an Indian pair has achieved this feat. In this article, we’ll recall those matches.
Here are two instances of India not losing a wicket in a full day’s play in Tests this century
Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman vs Australia in 2001
Now, who can forget this famous jailbreak in Kolkata? Having lost the first Test of the three-match series, India were standing in a do-or-die match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. In reply to Australia’s first-innings score of 445 runs, the hosts were bundled out for mere 171 and were asked to follow on. While India’s defeat looked inevitable, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman had some different plans.
The duo put up a batting exhibition in India’s second innings and scripted their names in history books. As a result, Day 4 saw India not losing a single wicket on a deteriorated track. While Laxman made 281 runs, Dravid slammed 180. Riding on their brilliance, India declared at 657/7 and went on to win the contest by 171 runs.
Dinesh Karthik, Wasim Jaffer, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar vs Bangladesh in 2007
It was the second Test of India’s 2007 tour of Bangladesh and the visiting team batters were on a roll. Bangladesh’s decision of bowling first in Dhaka proved to be an absolute disaster as all from India’s top four slammed centuries. Although India didn’t lose a single wicket on Day 1, four batters took the field.
Openers Wasim Jaffer and Dinesh Karthik added 175 runs for the first wicket before the latter got retired hurt. Jaffer completed a century later in the day but he also retired. This brought India’s number three and number four – Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar – on the field. None of the two were dismissed at stumps as India slammed 326 runs in the day.
Day 2 saw Dravid, Tendulkar and Karthik scoring centuries as India declared at 610/3. The Rahul Dravid-led side subsequently won the contest by an innings and 239 runs.
