Rewind to 1998 - the Sachin Tendulkar show

As we wait in anticipation of a keen contest over the next 5 weeks, let’s sit back and refresh our memories of the last three times the Australians visited for a test series in India. I have been extremely fortunate to be witness to some great action, sitting in the stands, for some days on each of the 3 occasions, returning full of excitement and with a sore throat every time. So here goes..

The year 1998 saw the Australian cricket team visiting India for a full test series after a gap of 12 years. The Aussies came with a big reputation of course, and were already considered by many to be the unofficial world test champions. But India was considered to be ‘Tigers’ at home, and this was surely going to be a very tough series.

But the Aussies were badly hit with their first-choice pace bowlers, McGrath and Gillespie out due to injury. It was left to Michael Kasprowicz to shoulder the burden, supported by Paul Reiffel, Adam Dale, and Paul Wilson. In the spin department, Shane Warne had a partner in Gavin Robertson, who out of near obscurity, was given the unenviable task of bowling against the Indians at home.

The Aussies are renowned to putting visiting sides through gruel right from the tour matches, but now they had to face some of their own medicine. They drew up against the defending Ranji champs, Mumbai, at the historic and picturesque (can’t say that about many Indian cricket grounds) Bradbourne stadium. The Aussies declared after the first day, but what hit them on day 2, the scars still remain...

The day was February 25, 2008. Thru the first hour, Amit Pagnis set the pace with a half century. Then walked in the little master. The upcoming series was billed as Tendulkar vs Warne, and this was to be the curtain raiser. But what we witnessed over the next 4 hours was simply sublime. Reiffel, Dale and Wilson were made to look like they were some tourists who did not belong on the cricket field – such was the ease and caress with which he drove them to the fence. Sachin’s treatment of Warne was much more ruthless. This was the day he tested the slog sweep to Warne bowling round the wicket, hitting him over mid-wicket on more than one occasion. 4 hours of batting exhibition, and the little master had completed his very first double century in first-class cricket. Sachin relented on 204 not out, and Shane Warne retuned with his worst bowling figures, 16-1-111-0.

The Aussies were bundled out on the 3rd day, and Mumbai won by 10 wickets. This game was to be the preview of things to come. India won the first test at the Chepauk, Sachin Tendulkar with another magnificent knock, which is now part of folklore. The 2nd test at Eden Gardens was utmost humiliation of the Aussies, defeat by an innings and 219 runs in 3½ days. The tourists managed to save face at the Bangalore test, thanks to Mark Waugh’s 153, and a dream 5 wicket haul by Michael Kasprowicz.

With that, India won the series 2-1, and retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The battle of the leggies turned out one-sided. Anil Kumble returned with 23 wickets, Warne with 10. The Aussies had to return empty-handed, India was the only country in which Mark Taylor did not win a test series. Neither did his successor Steve Waugh, who famously christened India as “The Last Frontier” before the 2001 tour.