Indian players are no longer the sweet guys of world cricket. They give it back to the opposition the way they receive it. These players play a different brand of cricket. They thrive on sledges and the will to counter gets stronger. Indian fans have lapped up India’s newfound aggression. These players walk the talk and this is something that is pretty refreshing to watch. The game too needs a rivalry to feed on. James Anderson needling Jasprit Bumrah led to ugly scenes at Lords. Bumrah eventually won the battle when he and Shami combined to lets look at Bitter Player Battles Won By Indian Players
Bitter Player Battles Won By Indian Players
#5 Tim Paine-Ravichandran Ashwin
Tim Paine had the unwanted record of being the first Australian captain to lose a home Test series against India in 2018-19. Paine was the captain when India toured again in 2020-21. The series was tied at 1-1 heading into the 3rd Test at Sydney. India were battling hard on the final day to save the Test.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari put their bodies on line to hold the fort. Paine frustrated with Ashwin’s stoic defence remarked that he can’t wait for him to come to Gabba. Ashwin responded saying he can’t wait for Paine to come to India which might be his last series as well. But Ashwin won the final battle when an injury-ridden young Indian team breached fortress Gabba and won the series 2-1!
#4 Virat Kohli-Mitchell Johnson
Mitchell Johnson was the most feared bowler in world cricket in the 2013-15 season. It was certain that he would target Virat Kohli. In the very first Test, Johnson hurled back a ball hurting Kohli in the process. Kohli was visibly upset. He then took charge of the situation and smashed Johnson all over the park. Kohli took him to cleaners in the entire series. He ended up smashing 4 centuries in 4 Tests. Kohli established his supremacy over the world’s most fearsome bowler.
#3 MS Dhoni-Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar arguably remains the fastest bowler in cricket history. He was clocking speeds of 95 miles per hour against Mahendra Singh Dhoni in a Test match in 2006. Akhtar smashed a bouncer on Dhoni’s helmet. He went on to sledge Dhoni asking him whether the ball came on too fast. Dhoni responded in stunning fashion smashing the next ball for a boundary. He later went on to score his first-ever Test century. Dhoni thereby owned the battle against Akhtar.
#2 Venkatesh Prasad-Aamir Sohail
Aamir Sohail was on the offensive against India at Bangalore in the 1996 World Cup quarter-finals. He smashed a Venkatesh Prasad delivery towards cover. Sohail then went on to point a finger at Prasad saying he will smash even the next ball in the same direction. Prasad chose not to respond. But when he did, the whole stadium erupted. Prasad clean bowled Sohail the very next delivery and animatedly pointed towards the dressing room. It was a watershed moment in the India-Pakistan rivalry.
#1 Yuvraj Singh-Andrew Flintoff
India were in a good position batting first against England in a super-8 game in the 2007 T20 World Cup. Andrew Flintoff had bowled quite an ordinary 18th over. Yuvraj Singh got off to a flier smashing Flintoff for a boundary. Flintoff then went on to say something unparliamentary to Yuvraj. Yuvraj was agitated. He almost followed Flintoff to the boundary. It felt as if Singh had lost his cool. But what transpired was nothing short of magic. Yuvraj went on to smash 6 sixes in an over off Stuart Broad. This remains an iconic moment in Indian cricket!
Also read: India Has Opportunity To Play Ashwin At Lord’s: Aakash Chopra
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