Top 10 Test matches of 2021

The significance of the Test format is unmatchable. It is undeniably the best format for a true cricket fan and it tests the players both physically and mentally. The year has nothing been short of excitement that this format has produced.

A total of around forty-five Test matches have been played by the teams this year. In a fast-moving world to enhance the oldest format of the game, the International Cricket Council inaugurated the World Test Championship in 2019. The grand event’s final match was held this year.

The teams played hard to participate in the WTC final and the tournament ended with India as the runners and New Zealand as the first winners. The year has witnessed some of the best matches around the world and many historical records have been broken and some have been created. Let us take a look at the top 10 matches of 2021.

10. England vs New Zealand

New Zealand toured England in June 2021 for a two-match Test series prior to the WTC finals. The match which features on this list is the first match of the series at the Lord’s. Kiwi skipper Williamson won the toss and decided to bat first.

The Kiwis scored a total of 378 in the first innings in which 200 runs were scored only by their opener Devon Conway and his name was embossed on the wall of fame at the historical venue. England got all out for 275 runs with Rory Burns being their highest run-getter with 132 runs and Tim Southee took a six-wicket haul in the first innings.

The New Zealand team posed a target of 273 for England on the fifth day and they failed to take more than three wickets in the second innings. England couldn’t hit the target required in the remaining overs and hence the match was drawn in the end. The Player of the match was awarded to debutant Devon Conway for his brilliant 200 runs.

9. Australia vs England

The most anticipated Test series in the world is the Ashes which is played between the rivals Australia and England. This series has a long history and it takes place once in two years. In 2021, the Ashes is being held in Australia.

With two matches being won by Australia, they were just a win away from retaining the trophy once again. The match was played at Melbourne Cricket Ground and it was the Boxing Day Test. With England forced to bat first, they scored just 185 runs (Joe Root 50, Cummins and Lyon – 3 wickets each).

Australia was all out for 267 runs (Marcus Harris 76, Anderson 4/33) and England trailed by just 82 runs. But unfortunately, England succumbed to the bowling performance of Australia and got all out for just 68. Scott Boland, the debutant of Australia, took six wickets just in four overs in the second innings and was awarded the Player of the Match.

8. India vs England

India hosted England for a four-match Test series earlier in 2021. The Indian team got defeated by a margin of 227 runs in the first Test match at Chepauk. The second Test match was held at the same venue and India won the toss and batted first.

The Indian innings started with the duck of the opener Shubman Gill. Rohit Sharma paced the innings well and hit 161 runs. The team had four ducks in that match but with the help of Rohit, Rahane and Pant, India scored 327 runs. The England team were all out for just 134 with half of the wickets being taken by R Ashwin.

Ashwin continued his momentum with the bat at his home ground and hit a century in the second innings and India gave a target of 482 runs for the Englishmen. They again failed to bat well and India won the match with a humongous margin of 317 runs. Rohit’s century, Axar Patel’s fifer, Ashwin’s fifer, and his century were the highlights of the match.

7. India vs New Zealand

The two best Test teams faced each other in final match of the inaugural World Test Championship. With New Zealand being qualified as the first finalist, India confirmed their spot at the finals. The match was held at Southampton from June 18-23.

The first day of the match did not get a clearance from the umpires as it was raining heavily. The reserve day of day six was used in that circumstance. India failed to build the innings and managed only to score only 217. Rahane was India’s highest scorer with 49 and Kyle Jamieson was the highlight of the bowling attack with a fifer.

New Zealand scored 249 runs (Devon Conway- 54 runs, Mohammed Shami- 4 wickets) and India trailed by just 32 runs. India failed to capitalize the low score and posed only a target of 139. Tim Southee took four wickets in the second innings. The Kiwis easily chased down the target with Williamson scoring 52* and lifted the inaugural trophy of the WTC.

6. England vs India

This match was held in India’s tour of England series. India toured for a five-match Test series in England. After a draw in the first match of the series, India and England got ready for their next match at the most famous Lord’s cricket ground. India was put to bat first on a cloudy day of the match.

The openers of India Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul beautifully managed to deceive the swinging deliveries of their prime bowlers and stood tall in the sessions. Rohit scored his fifty and got out for 83 runs, while Rahul went on to score 129. The team was all out for 364 runs with James Anderson picking a fifer. England’s Joe Root made a stunning 180 runs and the team’s score at the end of the first innings was 391.

India declared after setting a target of 272 (Ajinkya Rahane – 61, Mark Wood-3/51). The Indian bowlers subjugated the opposition batters and dismissed five of them for a duck and lost the match by losing all the wickets. India won by 151 runs and Siraj was the highlight of the bowling with eight wickets in the match.

5. Bangladesh vs West Indies

This match is a tale of a debutant who hit a double hundred and won the match for West Indies. It was the first match of the series and Bangladesh elected to bat first. Mehidy Hasan, the bowling all-rounder of Bangladesh hit his maiden century along with Shakib Al Hasan’s 68 guided the team to a score of 430.

West Indies, in the first innings managed to put, only a score of 259 with Kraigg Brathwaite being their highest with 76. In the third innings, Mominul Haque of Bangladesh played his part by hitting a ton and declared on the fourth day with 395 runs to be chased. The West Indian top-order batters failed to stay longer in the crease. Nkrumah Bonner came at number four and steadied the ship with surviving 245 deliveries and hitting 86.

Kyle Mayers was on a good touch in his first innings as he got 40 runs and he went on to create history in the fourth innings by scoring a double hundred in his debut. Though the other end was unstable, Mayers kept one end firm and he unbelievably won the match for West Indies and it was the fifth-highest run chases ever in the Test history.

4. Bangladesh vs Pakistan

This happened to be one of the matches which portray the verse “Twist in the Tale”. This match was played when Pakistan toured Bangladesh in December 2021. The second Test match at Dhaka was unsure to start with rain dominating the play. Pakistan batted superbly and declared for 300 runs.

Each of their batters contributed and the highest in the lot was Babar Azam (76 off 126). In contrast, Bangladesh couldn’t withstand Pakistan’s bowling and was all out for just 85. Bangladesh was put to follow on and continued their second innings. The top four batters went out for single-digit scores and the middle order with the help of Shakib rebuilt the innings.

But after Shakib got out for 63, the remaining batters failed to score runs. The last four batters also went out for single digits in quick succession and Pakistan comfortably won the match by an innings and eight runs. Pakistan’s Sajid Khan was the Player of the Match as he picked eight wickets in the first innings and four in the second.

3. Australia vs India

This match in Australia is one of the most memorable for Indian fans. It established the grit and determination the players need to represent this format. This match was held in Sydney and the Border-Gavaskar trophy was midway with both the teams sharing 1-1 points. Australia won the toss and elected to bat first.

The team scored 338 runs and the highlights of the first innings were Steve Smith’s 131, Labuschagne’s 91, and Ravindra Jadeja’s four-wicket haul. India without their senior player and captain Virat Kohli managed to hit 244 runs, with Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara scoring fifties. In the second innings of Australia, Smith, Labuschagne, and Cameron Green went past seventy runs and declared after giving the Indian team a target of 407.

India on the fourth day would have thought to win the match but Rohit Sharma got out for 52 runs and Gill for 31 after a steady start. Pujara at number three held the anchor and stood on for 205 deliveries and hit 77. Rishabh Pant took the innings forward and was dismissed for 97.

The remaining were in the hands of Hanuma Vihari and Ashwin to hold the innings back and to try for a draw. They both remained calm and expressed extreme grit and the match was drawn with Ashwin scoring 39* off 128 and injured Vihari scoring 23* off 161.

2. West Indies vs Pakistan

This is one of the most thrilling matches of the year as this went till the end without being able to decide the winner. It was the first match of the series of West Indies against Pakistan. West Indies won the toss and bowled first. Pakistan was all out for 217 runs (Fawad Alam 56, Jayden Seals- 3/70 and Jason Holder 3/26).

West Indies faced an early setback after their opener and number three batter got out for a duck. The skipper Kraigg Brathwaite hit 97 runs and got out. Jason Holder added 58 runs and the team finished with 253 runs. Shaheen Shah Afridi took a four-wicket haul in that inning. Pakistan again displayed similar batting and gave a low target of 168 (Babar Azam 55 and Jayden Seals 5/55).

It was an easy task for West Indies to chase down this lost score as there were still two days remaining. But Pakistani bowlers bowled exceptionally well and dismissed the batters in quick intervals. After Jermaine Blackwood got out for 55, the match tended to slide on any side. Kemar Roach held his position at the crease and hit 30 runs and the match was won with just a wicket remaining. It was unpredictable till the last delivery was bowled.

1. Australia vs India

This is the most memorable match for Indian fans and on contrary, it was a forgettable one for the Aussies. It was not only the series decider match, but it was the ticket to the WTC finale for the Indians. This match was played at “Fortress Gabba” as Aussies say, as they have not lost even a single match here since its inception. The toss was in favour of the hosts and they batter first.

Marnus Labuschagne’s 108 and Tim Paine’s 50 aided the team to score 369. India managed to score 336 runs and fell short by 33 runs. The highest scorers of India were number seven and eight batters, Washington Sundar (62) and Shardul Thakur (67). Josh Hazelwood picked a fifer in the inning. In the second innings, Australia got all out for 294. India had to chase 328 runs to seal their series victory and their position in the WTC final.

The Indian batting lineup proved its capabilities. Shubman Gill was the highest in the innings with 91 runs. Pujara batted 211 deliveries and hit 56 crucial runs for the team. Rishabh Pant at five anchored the innings though the wickets were falling in the other end. He scored 89* runs off 138 deliveries and won the Player of the Match and created history by breaching the “Fortress Gabba”.