Top 10 Greatest turnarounds in Test Cricket

Top 10 Greatest turnarounds in Test Cricket: The game of Cricket is composed of sheer uncertainties and quite often we witness courses of the games changing in quite a whirl. Many of us do remember, India’s resurgence in the second Test against Australia at Kolkata in 2001. This is just one of some numerous instances for the same. In fact, the necessary spice and crunch to Cricket is brought exclusively by the presence of some of those glamorous Test matches. Coming to the point and to sum things up, here is the list of the Top 10 Greatest turnarounds in Test Cricket: 1. India v Australia, 2nd Test, Eden Gardens, 2001: India v Australia, 2nd Test, Eden Gardens, 2001. (© ARKO DATTA/AFP/Getty Images) Well, this Test was indeed a fairy tale alike test for the Indians. It was something impossible being achieved by a young team led by Sourav Ganguly. India were literally thrashed in the first Test of the series. At the start of the second Test too, they were simply outplayed by the Aussies. Leaving behind Harbhajan Singh’s hat trick in the first innings, Indian fans had nothing to cheer about. And as a matter of fact, follow on was being enforced on Indian team as India trailed Australia by 274 runs. In the second innings, after losing a few wickets early on, a sensational partnership between Laxman and Dravid came up and on the fifth day, India turned the tables by clinching the 10 Australian wickets. India won the match by 171 runs. Also Read – 40 Superstitions followed by Cricketers 2. West Indies v Australia, 3rd Test, Bridgetown, 1999: Brian Lara. (Photo Source: Getty Images) The series was squared at 1-1. In the third Test, Australia did raise the bars high by posing a glamorous total of 490 runs on the board. In reply, the West Indian army, led by Brian Charles Lara did fairly good job. They were still restricted to a total of 146 runs. West Indies were given a target of 308 runs to chase in the fourth innings. Despite getting a decent start, they kept on losing wickets. Losing 5 wickets for a total of 105 runs, they were on the edge of giving away the game. But it was the West Indian skipper who stood out to be the anchor of the Test, with his sensational unbeaten knock of 153 runs. West Indies crossed the victory line and won the match by a single wicket. 3. India v Australia, 4th Test, Mumbai, 2004: India v Australia, 4th Test, Mumbai, 2004. (© Hamish Blair/Getty Images) Perhaps one of the shortest Tests in the history of the game. The Test ended in a matter of 2 and a half days. India, batting first made a total of only 104 runs. Australia, in reply scored 203 runs in their first innings and things started to incline in Australia’s favour. To worsen things the home team, they were bundled at the score of 205 runs in the second innings and Australia had to score only 107 runs to seal the victory. But then came the main twist. Indian bowlers did bowl up to the standards and with the sheer brilliance of Murali Kartik bundled Australia for just 93 runs and won the match from literally nowhere. 4. West Indies v Australia, 4th Test, Antigua, 2003: West Indies v Australia, 4th Test, Antigua, 2003. (Photo Source: Getty Images) It was one of the most thrilling Tests of all time. Batting first, Australia were bowled out for the score of 240 runs in the first innings. To add to the twist, West Indies were also dismissed at the same score in the first innings. But in the second innings Australia, made a thunderous total of 417 runs. West Indies were about to get devoured in front of such pressure. They had to chase 418 runs in the fourth innings of the Test, something which no other team had done in the past. Still, out of sheer fighting spirit, West Indies chased down the total and created history. Despite being poised at 74/3, West Indies did win the Test, courtesy of centuries from Sarwan and Chanderpaul. 5. England v Australia, Oval, 1882: England v Australia, Oval, 1882. (© Hulton Archive/Getty Images) The Test was played in the early days of Cricket and it was one of the lowest scoring games in the history. In the very first innings, Australia were bundled at the score of 63 runs. In reply, England were all down for 101 runs. Australia, in the second innings, managed to score only 122 runs. England had to score just 85 runs in the fourth innings and victory was a sure shot for them. But, like a whirl, the fate of the match changed and eventually, England were cleaned up with 77 runs on the board and Australia managed to cease victory by a margin of 7 runs. 6. Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Sharjah, 2014: Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Sharjah, 2014. (© Ishara S.KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images) It was the third Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at Sharjah. Batting first, Sri Lanka scored a total of 428 runs. In reply, Pakistan were bundled at the score of 341 runs and were thus placed on the back foot with a trial of nearly 100 runs. In the second innings, with a stunning bowling performance from Abdur Rehman, Pakistan literally fought back by bowling out the Sri Lankan men for a total of 214 runs. With around 60 overs left in the final day, a challenge was thrown to the Pakistani batsmen to chase down 302 runs. Quite incredibly, Pakistan did chase those many runs in a matter of 57.2 overs to seal victory, courtesy of a fantastic century from Azhar Ali. 7. England v Australia, Headingley, 1981: England v Australia, Headingley, 1981. (© Central Press/Getty Images) It was perhaps one of the most memorable Ashes Tests of all time. In the first innings of the match, Australia had the upper hand as they struck a total of 401 runs. In reply, England collapsed literally and were bundled at the score of 174 runs. Follow-on was enforced upon the English side and a number of critics predicted an innings defeat for England. In the second innings, England fought back well with a sensational century from Ian Botham. Chasing a total of 130 runs, Australia were all out for just 111 runs. England stunned the cricketing world with their stunning victory by 18 runs in the Test. 8. England v Australia, Birmingham, 2005: England v Australia, Birmingham, 2005. (© Getty Images) It was perhaps a match with numerous twists and turns. Batting first, England scored a total of 407 runs in their first innings. In reply, Australia lived up to the mark and scored 308 runs. By that time England had the upper hand in the Test. Just then, they collapsed in front of a brutal Australian bowling and were bundled at the score of 182 runs. Aussies had to score 281 runs in the fourth innings. For yet another time, victory seemed inevitable from England’s perspective. At one stage, Australia were reduced to 175/8, courtesy an intensified brilliance by the English bowlers. Just then, another twist plotted in. The ninth wicket contributed 45 runs and the final wicket partnership was proceeding immensely well. Australia were poised at 279/9 and they required just 2 runs to tie the Test. Just then, the final Australian wicket fell and England conquered the narrowest possible victory. 9. Australia v West Indies, Brisbane, 1960: It was one of the sensational matches in the history of Test cricket, a match that ended in a tie. Batting first, West Indies put up 453 runs on the board. In reply, Australia scored 505. The plot for the twist was set in the second innings. West Indies were settled out at the score of 284 runs in the second innings. Australia had to score 233 runs in the 4th innings to win the game. After being 92/6, Australia fought back well and were on the verge of snatching victory. The 7th wicket fell at the score of 226 runs. Quite surprisingly, the remaining four wickets could only add another 6 runs and the game ended as a tie. 10. Sri Lanka v India, 1st Test, Galle, 2015: Sri Lanka v India, 1st Test, Galle, 2015. (Photo Source: AFP) This one stands to be the latest of the lot. Sri Lanka batted first in the Test and were bundled at the score of 183 runs. In reply, with the aid of a blistering century from Kohli, India climbed to a total of 375 runs, giving a lead of 192 runs in the first innings. In the second innings, Sri Lanka were down to 95/5 when a stunning partnership between Chandimal and Thirmanne struck in. They took the Sri Lankan score to 367 runs. India had to score just 175 runs in their final innings to win the Test. With a horrid batting collapse, India were bundled at the score of 112 runs and Sri Lanka won the match by 63 runs. Also Read – Top 10 Teams with most Test losses

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Top 10 Greatest turnarounds in Test Cricket

7. England v Australia, Headingley, 1981:

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