THE HISTORICAL TEST MATCH OF INDIA

                                    First Test played with Pink ball in India

Indian Test cricket entered a new phase with the income of Pink SG ball at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

First let us know the history of Pink ball about where it is made, how many tests have been played with it etc.?

Pink SG ball was made in Mirat, Uttar Pradesh.  About 70 balls were sent to BCCI from there. Till now 11 test matches have been played with Pink ball but it is the first match that has been played with Pink SG ball. The others have been played with either Kookabura or Duke ball. Australia is the most successful team who has won 5 Day & Night Test matches and till now is undefeated. The main difference between Red SG ball and Pink SG ball is that the seam of the Red ball is white and lasts for a shorter time but the later one is of black seam and lasts for a longer time.

The match was played between 22 - 26 November, 2019 between India and Bangladesh. Many famous faces like Sekh Hasina ( Prime Minister of Bangladesh), Mamata Banerjee ( Chief Minister of Bengal), Sourav Ganguly  ( BCCI President) and Sachin Tendulkar, Dilip Bengsarkar, Harbhajan Singh, Rahul Dravid, VVS Lakshman, Kapil Dev ( Ex Cricketers and Captains of the Indian Team) were present in these awesome moments.

Not much could be said about the match. Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat first. 

They were finished within 106 in 30.3 overs being Shadman Islam (29) the highest scorer and Ishant Sharma ( 5-22) being the best bowler. Then India came to bat. They put a huge total of 347-9 in 89.4 overs. The top scorers were Cheteshwar Pujara (55), Virat Kohli (136) and Ajinkya Rahane (51). From Bangladesh Al Amin Hossain (3-85) and Ebadot Hossain (3-91) fared partially.

In the second innings Bangladesh crumbled down in 195 losing by an innings and 46 runs. Their best player Mushfiqur Rahim tried to put up a fight (74) but couldn't stand against Umesh Yadav (5-53) and Ishant Sharma (4-56)who also bagged the Man of the Match and also the Man of the Series by achieving 9 wkts.

The match depicted that how a one-sided match is played. But with this India got ready and acquired confidence for the upcoming Day & Night Test matches.

With this I am ending. Stay tuned for further updates.

THE BEST MATCH OF MY LIFE

 THE GREATEST PARTNERSHIP RECORDED IN MY MIND

It was a Sunday. For that reason our teacher organized a match in Uttarpara Government Cricket Academy. The match was between The Juniors facing off The Seniors. We were overconfident and easy-going. Our captain Chris Singh won the toss and opted to bat. Golokenda Das was the name of the opposing captain. But our prediction proved to be a great mistake.

The first over Surjo, their expected main bowler and a genuine fast bowler bowled a maiden against our captain, Chris. He got frustrated as was not getting to connect the ball with his bat. Second over, came Soham, a medium slow bowler and not very effective. But to all our surprise he proved cheap, conceded only a wide and took the wicket of Sayon. The score was now 1-2 (2). The lights were now on Chris as what he would do when he faces against Ayush who is the fastest bowler in our U-12 group.  Lo and Behold! The first ball was a dot. Next 3 balls saw the fall of the 3 said main batsman of the Senior Team- Chris, Arjun and Piyush. Ayush and the others were overjoyed as he got a hat-trick and moreover the score was now 1-4(2.4).

I was at 6^th down as there was a personal war against me and Chris as I had defeated him 12 times out of 13. That’s why out of his jealousy and his anger against me was the main cause of mine batting at 6^th down and my best friend on 9^th.

But who thought that there would be some more wickets falling off. The score was at present    9-7(4) Aryan, Debangshu and Vabhia got to the pavilion cheaply. Now Chris and others had almost lost hope. But they forgot that I and Shashwat, my 2^nd best friend are still on the crease. When he had hit some big hits they understood their mistake. Chris, who is usually a regular opponent of mine now started supporting us.

We didn’t upset our team. When I got out only by a single moment of diverted concentration, my run was 52 and Shashwat’s 32*. We have built a strong partnership of 81 runs and when I was in pavilion our score was 93-8(14). Our total score was 98 all out and Shashwat was 37*. All congratulated us. I just can’t believe now also as how The Juniors could do such a disaster to our batting line up.

Now our expected things started to happen. The Juniors got out only in 53 runs. Chris got 1 wkt, Vabhia got none. I got 3-6(3) and Shashwat 2-9(1). Expectedly I was the Man Of The Match. That historical match still refreshes my mind.