Quiz on India-Australia Tests

1.   When Australia toured India in 1969, Calcutta went up in arms protesting a player’s inclusion in the Australian squad who they wrongly believed had served in the Vietnam War and killed Viet Cong members. Which cricketer?

2.   In the 2000’s, Jagmohan Dalmiya was seeking the role of the BCCI’s patron in chief and to install Ranbir Mahendra as President. On the other hand, Sharad Pawar had forged a cricket alliance with IS Bindra and was looking forward to become the BCCI supremo. It was in this background that Pawar’s loyalists declined a certain request by someone considered close to Dalmiya for a match that he eventually didn’t play but would go on to change his career. Which match and what was the request?

3.  Greg Mathews picked up 10 wickets in the 1986 Madras Test to ensure a tie. What crazy thing did he during India’s second innings as a psychological ploy, that Ricky Ponting also did during his 1999 Barbados century?

4.  The 1996 Test at Delhi, the first ever played for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, saw debut of two cricketers. One of them is remembered for the uniqueness of his name, while the other is known for the longevity of his cricket career. Who were the two debutants?

5.   The 1981 Test at MCG is best remembered for Sunil Gavaskar’s refusal to walk when given out LBW to a Dennis Lillee delivery. The question is what was the significance of that particular wicket for Dennis Lillee?

6.     This player achieved the unusual feat of winning his first Test cap while a FC match he was playing in was still going on. He scored 243 for his domestic team in the match and was cutting a cake to celebrate his double-century when news came through that he'd been called up to play Australia. Who is this cricketer?

7.     India’s 2004 series versus Australia again could have been a different affair altogether had weather allowed play on the last day of the second test at Chennai. Sehwag scored a 155 in the first innings and looked threatening in the second innings as well before rains washed out the 5th day. The question is who was Sehwag’s unlikely opening partner in that particular Test?

8.     Although he played only 6 Tests, his gritty 22 on debut proved to be a match winning knock for India in the series deciding Chennai Test against Australia in 2001 where they had lost 8 wickets in a chase of 155. Identify him.

9.   The story told by Bob Merriman goes that as a result of this Kapil Dev bouncer his head split open and when he went to the doctors, they refused to stitch it without getting an autograph.

10. This cricketer had a sensational beginning to his career as only in his second match, he scored a fourth inning ton to help Australia chase down 342 at Perth against India. What’s special about the knock was that it was only the second ton scored by a night watchman. However, his career lasted only 2 more matches. Who’s the cricketer?

11.  The best identical figures in a Test match since 1977-78 were held by an Indian, who achieved it in Melbourne against India. His record was bettered  four decades later by an Australian playing against India. Who are the two cricketers?

12. He wasn’t a part of the ODI squad originally when it was announced in March 2001. However, after his Test performances, a campaign by fans ensured that he stayed back to join the ODI squad for the series which he ended as the Man of the series. Who is the cricketer? Also, who was the physiotherapist with the Australian squad in 2001?

13. Australia’s Paul Hibbert is a one Test wonder whose only Test came against India in 1977. His selection was made possible by the century he scored against the Indians in a tour match playing for Victoria .What was unique about that ton?

14. Who are they mourning?

ANSWERS

1. Doug Walters

    "There were about 20,000 Communist protesters outside the team hotel. They had been wrongly informed that I had served in Vietnam. I didn't take it too seriously. They were just protesters. Some windows of the hotel were smashed by a few angry ones, but on that tour, I reckon Calcutta was the city I spent the most time out and about," he said.

2. Sourav Ganguly asked the grass to be trimmed when India played in Nagpur in the third Test against Australia in 2004. Ganguly didn't play that match due to an injury and India lost it to allow Australia an ussailable 2-0 lead in the series. Gideon Haigh writes about the incident in his book Sphere of Influence.

3. Greg Mathews bowled wearing sweaters in the sapping Madras heat.

Steve Waugh recalled in Out of My Comfort Zone: “He wore two sleeveless sweaters throughout the day. Actually, he gave one to the umpire when he fielded and only wore them both when he was bowling. We just shook our heads in disbelief, because it was so hot with 90 degree [sic] humidity, but as usual Greg had a theory. He explained that nomadic herders in the desert wore woollen coats because they kept the cool air in, thus acting as a kind of air-conditioner.”

4. Brad Hogg who didn't have an incredibly long Test career but blossomed as a T20 specialist late in his career, and David Johnson, who debuted for India and played only one more Test.

5. Sunil Gavaskar's wicket was the 248th wicket for Dennis Lillee, which meant he had equalled Richie Benaud's tally of 248 wickets, which at that point was the highest number of wickets by an Australian.

6. Murali Vijay came in the Indian squad that played Australia in 2008 in place of Gautam Gambhir who had been banned after elbowing Shane Watson while completing a run.

7. Yuvraj Singh. Akash Chopra's abysmal form and injury meant that Yuvraj Singh was promoted up the order, the only time he opened in is 40 Test career. In the final Test of the series, India gave Test debut to another opener, a certain Gautam Gambhir.

8. Samir Dighe

9. Rick Darling

10. Tony Mann

11.  Chandrashekhar took e 6 for 52 in both innings at Melbourne in 1977-78 against Australia, while SNJ O’Keefe chose India as opposition as he captured 6 for 35 in both innings at Pune in 2016-17

12. Matthew Hayden. He scored 549 runs in the 3 match Test series and with 343 runs emerged as the top run getter for Australia in the ODIs too which they went on to win 3-2. The Physio of that Australian squad is the same man who currently handles Physio duties with the Indian cricket team - Pat Farhart.

13. His score of 100 didn't contain a single boundary, only the second such century in First Class cricket. Alan Hill, mostly of Derbyshire and a renowned blocker, did so for Orange Free State against Griqualand West in 1976/77.

14. Don Bradman passed away on the eve of Australia's Test against India in Mumbai in 2001-02.