2021 started brightly for team India with an overseas series win against Australia and ended the year with a win against SA at their fortress Centurion. No one could have asked for a better start and end to the year with the Indians dominating test cricket to its best.
Few stats to show why India has dominated in the SENA countries.
- Best bowling SR (since 2019).
1. India (53)
2. Aus (56)
3. Eng (61)
- Ravi Ashwin - 355 runs at 25 and 54 wickets at 16.64.
- Virat Kohli (7) = Dada+Dravid+ Dhoni (Test wins in SENA)
- Indian pacers - 128 wickets at 28.12 avg
- Indian spinners - 121 wickets at 20.19 avg.
5 - Indian openers to score test centuries in SENA countries since 2015. Out of those 5, Rahul has scored 4 of them.
100 - Bumrah has the 6th most test wickets by Indian pacers outside Asia.
Centurion - First team from Asia to win a Test in Centurion.
India had the knack of breaching through the fortresses of 2 nations Australia (Gabba) after 33 years overall and SA (Centurion).
Players who rose above the expectations.
Washington Sundar.
Having played FC cricket last in Nov 2017 he was made to debut with Ashwin injured after the Sydney Test. He made 65 along with Thakur when India was struggling at 160-5 at Gabba and even went on to take 3 wickets. Having not had much experience of FC cricket he shouldered responsibility and rose to the occasion.
Shardul Thakur.
If India wants to take wickets in the middle overs or wants to break partnership Thakur would be the go-to man. He has the knack of taking those important wickets out of nowhere. His stand-out series was against England where he scored a 50+ score when the entire team could not get past 20+ runs. He also went on to take the wicket of Joe Root in the 4th test where India made a historic win.
Mohammed Siraj.
11 tests - 36 wickets @27. These numbers sum up Siraj's start to test cricket. With an open chested action, he makes batters play the wrong line along with the angle he creates to the left-handers.
Pakistan were always the favourites to win the encounter, they have some of the finest performers in T20 cricket and have the bowling attack which can defend any target. They batted well and put up a good score. Things were always going to be difficult of Live cricket streaming for the Kiwis as they had to score close to nine runs an over from the first ball. Captain Ross Taylor made some interesting changes in the batting order and pushed himself down the order, which in the end proved fatal for the New Zealanders.
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