Mohammad Azharuddin

Mohammad Azharuddin is one of the greatest names associated with Indian and World Cricket. This stylish batsman from Hyderabad made his Test Debut against England at the Eden Gardens at Kolkata on 31st December 1984.Both the teams had won a Match each in the 5 Test Match Series. India had won the opener in Bombay, where as England defeated India convincingly at the Ferozshah Kotla in Delhi. Both teams met at the Eden Gardens at Kolkata for the 3rd Test.

Mohammad Azharuddin replaced Sandeep Patil who was dropped from the team after their defeat in Delhi. Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar won the toss, and elected to bat first, on a wicket which did give some assistance to the quickies. The Indian pair of Gaekwad and Gavaskar started off carefully against the likes of the right arm fast bowler Norman Cowans and slow left arm orthodox Phil Edmonds. Indians lost 2 quick wickets at 35/2, which went on to become 126/3 as Gaekwad, Gavaskar and Amarnath got out.

Then came in the debutant Mohammad Azharuddin with India at 126/3. Soon Ravi Shastri joined him and India ended Day-1 at 168/4, with Azhar and Shastri at the crease. Only 8 runs were added on Day-2 as torrential rains abandoned play with India ending at 176/4. India started off well on Day-3 as the duo of Azhar and Shastri dominated the English bowlers to all parts of the Eden Gardens.

Azharuddin under the guidance of the experienced Shastri went on to make a magnificent century on DEBUT. His innings comprised of 10 beautiful boundaries, with wristy flicks being the main ingredient of his Innings. He along with Shastri dismantled the English bowlers in a 214 run-stand. Azhar was finally dismissed for a wonderful innings of 110 as the made his entry into the record books.

Azhar carried on with his magnificent form in the 4th Test at Chennai where he again scored a wonderful century in the 2nd Innings of the Match, as he smacked 18 boundaries all over Chidambram Stadium. There was no full-stop to this flamboyant batsman, as he went on to make another century at Green Park at Kanpur (His 3rd consecutive century) in the 5th and Final Test of the Series. He went on to make 122 with 16 cracking fours of his bat. The Series ended in England’s favour with a 2-1 victory for them, but it would be remembered for the entry of one of the finest and most stylish batsman in the history of World Cricket - Mohammad Azharuddin. He became the 1st person in the history of Test Cricket to score 3 consecutive centuries on debut. His Debut match did end in a draw, thanks to poor weather, but his wonderful century comprising of some ’’mind blowing’’ strokes on debut earns him a place in the ’’CRICKETFUNDAS’’ GOLDEN DEBUTS.