India's red-ball reset: Gill leads India into 600th Test vs spin-heav…

Only England (1,097) and Australia (883) have played more Tests than India. Since beginning their Test journey at Lord’s in 1932, India have won 186 matches, lost 188 and drawn 224, with one famous tie. The significance of the occasion, however, is matched by the challenge facing Gill’s men. India have slipped to fifth in the World Test Championship standings after losing 10 of their 20 Tests under Gambhir.

While India attained political freedom on 15 August 1947, it achieved a form of sporting freedom a year later at the 1948 London Olympics. For a newly independent India, the London Games were more than a sporting event. They offered an opportunity for assertion and provided a stage for a young country to establish itself among the world’s successful sporting nations. rouesnews.click

The Indian hockey team satisfied that national yearning, winning its fourth consecutive Olympic gold after triumphs at Amsterdam in 1928, Los Angeles in 1932 and Berlin in 1936. The golden journey did not stop in 1948 but continued until 1964, with a brief silver interlude in 1960, when India had to cede top spot to arch-rivals Pakistan.

When India won gold at the London Olympic hockey stadium in 1948, defeating England 4–0 in the final, much more than an Olympic victory was scripted. It was a newly independent nation’s declaration against the forces of colonialism, retribution for the humiliation inflicted by the English over almost 200 years and, finally, a statement to the world about the significance of sport in an era of decolonisation. Hockey, the victory demonstrated, held the promise of becoming the new opiate of the masses.

For many in the country, the sport offered a substitute for religion as a source of emotional attachment and spiritual passion. For many others, since it was among the earliest memorable post-Independence experiences, it infiltrated memory, shaped enthusiasms and served fantasies. Though claims of hockey being the ‘national’ game of the country originated as far back as the turn of the century and gathered momentum after the victories at Amsterdam, Los Angeles and Berlin, it was not until London that hockey’s supremacy was assured.

Compared with the Games of 1928, 1932 and 1936, London 1948 offered a fundamentally different challenge for Indian hockey. More importantly, the players, for the first time, were not representing British India but playing for their motherland. This was the first time Indians were playing under the new tricolour and against the British, under whose imperial flag they had participated in previous Games.

It is pertinent to recount this achievement today, on Independence Day, as India takes the field at the World Cup in the Netherlands. The build-up has been anything but ideal, with the jersey controversy dominating the headlines. But it is time for everyone back home to move beyond such issues and focus on the game at hand.

With the Asian Games a month later, a strong World Cup performance can create momentum for a sport that badly needs it. While the women are not expected to make the podium, we do expect a strong showing from them, with the team pushing some of the more fancied sides in the world. In contrast, the men are expected to win a medal, and anything less would be a disappointment.

Hockey, yet again, has a chance to galvanise the nation. Let’s do our bit to help the players do so.

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August 2001: Sri Lanka won by 10 wickets

India collapsed for 187 in the first Test at Galle before Sri Lanka, powered by Sanath Jayasuriya’s 111 and Kumar Sangakkara’s unbeaten 105, reached 362. India were dismissed for 180, with Muttiah Muralitharan taking 5-49, before SL chased the six-run target in 1.5 overs.

July/August 2008: India won by 170 runs

Virender Sehwag’s unbeaten 201 powered India to 329 after losing the Colombo opener. Harbhajan Singh’s 6-102 gave India a 37-run lead. India scored 269 in the second innings, setting SL 307. Harbhajan struck again with 4-51 as SL collapsed for 136, giving India their first Galle victory.

July 2010: Sri Lanka won by 10 wickets

Kumar Sangakkara’s 103 and Tharanga Paranavitana’s 111 powered Sri Lanka to 520-8 declared. India were dismissed for 276, conceding a 244-run lead. Muttiah Muralitharan claimed 5-63 in his farewell Test. India made 338 in the second innings before SL chased 95 without losing a wicket.

August 2015: Sri Lanka won by 63 runs

India took a 192-run first-innings lead before reducing Sri Lanka to 95-5. Dinesh Chandimal’s unbeaten 162 off 169 balls lifted the hosts to 367, setting India 176. Rangana Herath claimed 7-48 as India collapsed for 112, handing SL a dramatic 63-run victory.

July 2017: India won by 304 runs

Shikhar Dhawan’s 190 and Cheteshwar Pujara’s 153 powered India to 600 before SL were bowled out for 291. Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 103 helped India declare at 240-3, setting a 550-run target. Spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin took three wickets each as SL fell for 245.

304
No of runs by which India won their previous match at Galle in 2017 — their highest margin for an overseas win at the time

India is a strong contender to host the 2036 Olympics and plans a nationwide talent hunt. This program will identify young athletes aged five to fifteen for specialized training. The initiative aims to improve India's participation across many Olympic disciplines. India is also preparing to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad. The government seeks to expand the nation's sporting talent pool and global event hosting.

Darwin [Australia], August 15 (ANI): Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood on Saturday became the ninth Australian bowler to take 300 Test wickets after claiming his 14th career five-wicket haul during the first Test against Bangladesh in Darwin, according to Cricinfo.

Hazlewood reached the milestone as he continued to trouble the Bangladesh batting lineup, joining teammates Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc in Australia’s 300-wicket club.

With Hazlewood’s milestone, Australia now have four bowlers in the playing group who have each taken at least 300 Test wickets. They are the only Test attack in history to have played together after all four members reached the landmark.

Hazlewood has also maintained an impressive bowling average. Among Australia’s nine bowlers to have taken 300 Test wickets, only Glenn McGrath (21.64), Cummins (22.21) and Dennis Lillee (23.92) have better averages than Hazlewood’s 24.02, according to Cricinfo.

The milestone further adds to Hazlewood’s status as one of Australia’s leading Test fast bowlers, with his 14 five-wicket hauls highlighting his consistency in the longest format.

In the ongoing first Test, Hazlewood starred for the hosts on the third day, taking all four wickets to fall after lunch and finishing with a six-wicket haul.

He dismissed Mehidy Hasan Miraz to end Bangladesh’s stubborn resistance before removing Ebadot Hossain, completing his 300th Test wicket and 14th five-wicket haul.

Bangladesh were eventually bowled out for 426 in their first innings, securing a 228-run lead over Australia. Mehidy played a crucial role, scoring a half-century and batting for nearly 50 overs with the lower order.

Bangladesh’s strong batting effort was led by Tanzid Hasan’s maiden Test century, along with fifties from captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mehidy. Their performance came after Hasan Mahmud had earlier taken a six-wicket haul to help Bangladesh dominate with the ball.

Australia also hurt themselves by dropping five catches, allowing Bangladesh’s lower order to extend their innings. Despite being expected to struggle after a heavy defeat to a Cricket Australia XI in the tour game, Bangladesh have taken a commanding position in the Test. (ANI)

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