It is likely that both Australia and India will be captained by deputies in the Brisbane Test starting on December 4.
India’s skipper MS Dhoni is definitely out for the Test opener, with India to be led by Virat Kohli. And it seems certain that Michael Clarke will miss out as well.
This reminds me of another Australia vs India Test when the two countries were led by substitute captains – the third Test in Nagpur, India, which started on October 26, 2004.
Ricky Ponting had also missed the first two Tests due to injury, but the reason India’s captain, Sourav Ganguly, sat out in this Test is still shrouded in controversy.
Australia, under substitute captain Adam Gilchrist, was doing well, leading the series 1-0 as the Nagpur Test started. Michael Clarke had made a stunning debut in the first Test in Bangalore stroking an exquisite 151. He added 107 runs for the fifth wicket with Simon Katich (81) and 167 for the sixth wicket with Gilchrist (104).
Now to the third Test in Nagpur a fortnight later.
To skipper Ganguly’s horror and Australia’s delight, the pitch in Nagpur was green. Ganguly withdrew injured on the morning of the match, which raised quite a few eyebrows.
As Paul Weaver wrote in Wisden 2005, “The pitch suited tall fast bowlers: Australia had three, India none.”
“Looks like home, don’t it?” commented English umpire David Shepherd as he surveyed the turf, a greenish seamer. Ganguly said he was injured and Rahul Dravid took over the leadership.
Winning the toss, Australia made 398, Damien Martyn stroking his second successive century. He narrowly missed his third consecutive hundred in the second innings. The current Australian coach Darren Lehmann (70) and Clarke (91) added valuable runs to the total.
Jason Gillespie (5 for 56) and Glenn McGrath (3 for 27) tortured the Indian batsmen, who totalled only 185 and trailed by 213 runs. Mohammad Kaif top-scored with 55 runs.
The follow-on was not enforced as Australia piled on runs and declared at 5 for 329. It must have been a case of ‘nervous nineties’ as Katich was out when 99 and Martyn at 97.
Australia won by a huge margin of 342 runs and won the series 2–1 to regain the Border–Gavaskar Trophy, whatever happened in the fourth and final Test in Mumbai.
The Mumbai Test was amazing, lasting only three days. On a spinners’ paradise, 40 wickets fell (27 to spinners). On the third and final day, 20 wickets tumbled (17 to spinners).
Now recovered from injury, Ponting returned to the team as captain. He perhaps lacked Gilchrist’s luck with the coin. Gilchrist had called correctly in the first three Tests.
On the first day, which was rain-interrupted, India was 2 down for 22. The next day was to provide shocks galore as India was shot out for 104, Gillespie taking 4 for 29 and the debutant leg-spinner Nathan Hauritz 3 for 16.
With the in-form batsman Martyn defending for 55 runs, Australia managed a 99-run lead, Anil Kumble snaring 5 for 90 and another spinner Murali Kartik 4 for 44.
Then sensations followed sensations as India was bowled out for 205. They were doing well, with VVS Laxman scoring 69 and Sachin Tendulkar 55, but from 3 for 153 they lost seven for 52 as part-time left-arm spinner Michael Clarke captured 6 for 9 off 6.2 overs. The home crowd went silent.
Australia had to score only 107 to win. An easy task? No way! Wickets tumbled like ninepins: 1-0, 2-24, 3-24, 4-33, 5-48, 6-48, 7-58, 8-78, 9-93 and 10-93.
Harbhajan Singh captured 5 for 29 and Kartik 3 for 32. Not one batsman reached 25. Clarke’s 6 for 9 ecstasy soon turned into agony.
A disgruntled Ponting said after the Test, “The wicket was no way near to be being Test standard. 40 wickets [actually 38 wickets] in two days is almost unheard of. It’s been a fantastic series but this has left a sour taste.”
Sour taste or not, Australia regained the Border–Gavaskar Trophy after their 2–1 win. Steve Waugh’s much cited ‘Final Frontier’ (Test series victory by Australia in India) was reached after a 36-year wait.
Within a month from October 6 to November 5 in 2004 ‘Pup’ Clarke had witnessed the highs and lows of Test arena.
Will Australia win the Brisbane Test with a substitute skipper as they had done in Nagpur a decade ago?
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