To say cricket is popular in India is an understatement. The country is cricket-mad and boasts fanatical following for the game. There’s always something to do with cricket happening in every town, city or neighborhood across the country. From local leagues to international tournaments where the Men in Blue represent the country, India is a country in love with cricket.
90% of Global Cricket Fans
A recent study by ICC revealed that India constitutes more than 90% of the global cricket fans. This commitment to the game was at display during the 2019 ICC Word Cup when India’s cricket fans filled stadiums outnumbering fans from other countries. Whenever India played, everyone else could notice the fans due to their passion.
Smashing Test Cricket World Record
This resilience, skill and perseverance of the men’s national team showed recently when they played Bangladesh. The men in blue won a record with India becoming the 1st team to claim four successive innings wins in test cricket. It was a remarkable feat that rewards the country’s fascination with cricket. It is also evidence of the country’s cricket prowess.
While many people had expected India to beat Bangladesh during the recenthistoric day-night Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, the Men Blue did it in exceptional style. There was an incredible haul of five wickets Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav.To top it all was a classy century from the skilfulViratKohli. It helped India to a 2-0 series clean sweep beating Bangladesh by an innings and 46 runs.
What made the win spectacular was the fact that India became the first team in the world to post four consecutive wins by innings in Test matches. The day-night “pink test” so-called due to the colour of the ball was fast and interesting. It lasted 986 (161.2 overs).
Men in Blue Blow More Cricketing Records
The win over Bangladesh also marked some more records for India which might not have made it to the latest cricket news. For instance, this was also the shortest Test by India which again highlights the Skillman ship of the Men in Blue.
What’s more, this also marked 7 successive Test victories by India which is the best sequence recorded so far. The seven wins are three against South Africa andtwo each against the Bangladesh and West Indies. This was also the 12th successive home triumph by India which extends their world record.
The match itself also had a significant number of highlights with the team’s spinners failing for the first time ever to take a single wicket out of 19 wickets captured. Away from the dubious record, the man of the match and Series,Ishant Sharma, impressed with 15 wickets in two tests.
Sharma and Umesh Yadav also made a record for being the first Indian pacers to take 8 more wickets in the same Test. With ViratKohli as captain, the Men in Blue have continued domination with 453 wickets in 53 tests.
While 170 of these wickets came on home soil, there’s no denying this is a team that is on the rise. By capturing all the wickets all 19 Bangladesh wickets that fell during this Test match, India displayed its record-breaking qualities.
Final Thoughts
The heartbreak of cricket fans in India is still raw but seeing the team rebuilding and making progress is a reprieve. With in-form pacers like Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma in the team and other star cricketers, this is a team is on the rebound.