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The ongoing Boxing Day Test between India and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) has set the stage for yet another nail-biting contest. With Australia posting a commanding 474 in the first innings and securing a lead exceeding 300 runs, India faces a monumental challenge to script history in the fourth innings.
India’s chances of pulling off this chase hinge on their ability to replicate past glories in fourth-innings pursuits. Let’s take a closer look at India’s top fourth-innings run chases in Test cricket history.
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India’s Highest Successful Fourth-Innings Chases in Tests
- 406/4 vs West Indies (1976)
- Venue: Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain
- Highlight: Chasing 406, India secured a legendary win led by remarkable performances from Sunil Gavaskar (102) and Gundappa Viswanath (112).
- 387/4 vs England (2008)
- Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
- Highlight: Virender Sehwag’s blitzkrieg (83 off 68) and Sachin Tendulkar’s unbeaten 103 guided India to a historic win in a match played in the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
- 329/7 vs Australia (2021)
- Venue: The Gabba, Brisbane
- Highlight: India stunned the world by chasing 329 to end Australia’s 32-year unbeaten streak at the Gabba. Heroics from Shubman Gill (91), Rishabh Pant (89*), and contributions from Cheteshwar Pujara secured an unforgettable win.
- 276/5 vs West Indies (2011)
- Venue: Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, Delhi
- Highlight: A steady chase led by Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman saw India hunt down the target of 276.
The Challenge at MCG
India’s record shows their ability to chase daunting totals under pressure. However, with a target potentially exceeding 330 in Melbourne and a pitch showing signs of wear and tear, the task ahead is immense.
- Key Players: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Washington Sundar, and Nitish Reddy will need to replicate their first-innings heroics, while senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli must step up in the critical fourth innings.
- Conditions: The MCG pitch is expected to deteriorate further, offering turn for spinners and uneven bounce for pacers, making the chase all the more challenging.
Can India Rewrite History?
While India’s historic fourth-innings chases highlight their resilience, the ongoing MCG Test presents a stiff challenge. With the series tied at 1-1, a successful chase would not only seal the Test but also give India a crucial lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
As the cricketing world watches, the stage is set for yet another epic chapter in India’s Test history. Will they rise to the occasion? Only time will tell.
