Several Indian cricket legends have dazzled the opposition by playing for a long time and scoring runs. Test cricket is a place where the player’s skill but also the player’s patience and strength are over and over again tested
The Indian Test ace, Cheteshwar Pujara, recently said goodbye to the world of red-ball cricket and international cricket. However, the record of his performance in the Indian Tests is still unbeaten. Hence, the players who have faced the most balls in a Test innings for India will be our focus in this article.
Most Balls Faced By Indians in A Test Innings
5. Sunil Gavaskar – 172 Runs Off 472 Balls vs England, Bengaluru, 1981
The first one to come up with this incredible list is none other than the great Sunil Gavaskar, who stood at the crease in total of 472 balls against England in 1981 in Bengaluru. This was the second Test match of the series between India and England. England were the first to bat and managed to score 400 runs. In response, India, partly due to their captain Gavaskar’s contribution of 172 runs off 472 balls with 19 4s, raised the bar by scoring 428 runs.
After that, England was sent back for 174 runs (3 wickets) and so the match ended in a tough draw. Gavaskar, on the other hand, was the player of the match for his significant involvement, as his marathon innings is remembered as a masterclass.
4. Ravi Shastri – 206 Runs Off 477 Balls vs Australia, Sydney, 1992
The former Indian head coach and all-rounder, Ravi Shastri, comes in fourth place on this list. The year was 1992, and India was at the Sydney Cricket Ground playing the third Test of the series against the Australians. After batting first, Australia scored 313 runs in the first innings and India’s quick comeback was fully on the shoulders of openers Ravi Shastri’s brilliant 206-run off 477 balls with 17 boundaries and two sixes.
India was in an advantageous position to a large extent when they made a total of 483 runs, especially due to the contribution of Tendulkar who scored 148 not out. Australia managed to score 173/8 in their third innings and once again the game ended in a draw, but this time Shastri was awarded the player of the match because he also took four wickets during the innings when the Australians were batting.
3. Navjot Singh Sidhu – 201 Runs Off 491 Balls vs West Indies, Port Of Spain, 1997
Now talking about the player who comes in at number three, we have the powerful hitter Navjot Singh Sidhu. In the 1997 series, India had the tiring West Indies as their opponents. In the second Test match, West Indies went in to bat first and made 296 runs in their first innings, and India, in turn, scored even more, that is, 436, thereby gaining a huge lead. Sidhu was eventually the star player of the match with 201 runs scored off 491 balls which included 19 fours and one six.
The highlight of the innings was to show the importance of patience on the pitch even if one is hitting the ball hard. The West Indies were already exhausted and India had gained a massive advantage in the game. The Caribbean team in their third innings could manage just 299 runs with the loss of six wickets. The match yet again concluded without a result but it was the unforgettable innings of Siddhu that took the spotlight.
2. Rahul Dravid – 270 Runs Off 495 Balls vs Pakistan, Rawalpindi, 2004
And the player in the second spot is none other than the wall, Rahul Dravid. Dravid was definitely one of the most reliable players in the Indian team during that period. He would take the attack or the opposition right from the first ball and even continue batting after scoring hundreds.
Rahul Dravid was at his best, making 270 runs in 495 balls with the help of 34 fours and a strike rate of 54.54 while India posted a total of 600 runs against Pakistan. In the 3rd innings, the rival team was all out for a mere 245 runs, leading to India’s fantastic victory by an innings and 131 runs, which was the conclusion of this match. Dravid’s lengthy innings got him the player of the match title and still, the cricket lovers recall the majestic 270 of Dravid.
1. Cheteshwar Pujara – 202 Runs Off 525 Balls vs Australia, Ranchi, 2017
Among all the players, the last one to be picked is the metaphorical wall of India 2.0, namely Cheteshwar Pujara. In the year 2017, during the third Test match between India and Australia in Ranchi, the Australians declared their innings at 451 and the Indians almost replied this with their lovely 603 but they lost nine wickets. Cheteshwar was undeterred and he batted for the long time of 525 balls scoring a patient 202 with 21 hits to the fence. Nevertheless, the 603 runs of India could not cause any result since the match ended in a draw after a tough battle from the Australian side who scored 204 for six in their innings of 100 overs.
This match has had one of the most tireless combat ever fought because not even the Australians when they displayed their unbelievable resilience were able to hold Pujara down as he scored a knock that was higher than any Indian on the list. Now that he has left the international scene, it would be very interesting to see whether a new batter of this era will ever be able to break the astonishing record of 525 deliveries faced in an innings for India in Test matches.
