Date: November 6th, 2011.
Location: Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi.
Event: 1st Test, India vs West Indies.
The Indian dressing room felt different. During the England ODIs, it had the chaotic, high-energy vibe of a college dorm. But now, with the whites donned and the red SG ball in hand, the atmosphere was one of heavy, seasoned gravitas.
Virender Sehwag was back, humming old Bollywood songs while taping his bat.
VVS Laxman, the artist of Hyderabad, was quietly visualizing his wristwork, his eyes closed in meditation.
Sachin Tendulkar, the God, was checking his gear for the millionth time, the hunger for the 100th hundred burning brighter than ever in his eyes.
Siddanth Deva sat among them. He was no longer the rookie. He was the Man of the Series from England. But here, amidst the "Fab Four" (minus Ganguly), he felt the weight of legacy. He adjusted his pads, feeling the familiar grip of the Test match intensity settling in.
Team News:
Openers: Virender Sehwag and Siddanth Deva.
Bowling Attack: Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha, Siddanth Deva (All-rounder).
The Toss:
Darren Sammy spun the coin. MS Dhoni called Heads. It was Tails.
Sammy: "We will bat. The pitch looks dry. It will spin later. We want runs on the board."
Day 1:
West Indies started well. Kraigg Brathwaite and Kieran Powell frustrated the Indian pacers in the first hour, leaving the ball well outside off stump. The score reached 50/0.
Then, Dhoni turned to spin. R. Ashwin, making his Test debut, spun a web. He trapped Powell LBW with a carrom ball that slid on and bowled Brathwaite through the gate.
But the resistance came from Shivnarine Chanderpaul. The veteran crouched in his crab stance, chest open to the bowler, and defied everything. He batted ugly, but he batted long. He nudged, he poked, he left. He was immovable.
Deva bowled a short, sharp spell before Lunch. The SG ball was reversing early on the abrasive surface of the Kotla.
Over 45: Deva to Marlon Samuels.
Deva ran in, hiding the shiny side of the ball. 145kmph.
It started outside off and tailed back in viciously.
Samuels played down the wrong line, leaving a gap between bat and pad.
Thud. The ball smashed into the back pad.
Appeal: A loud, confident shout. The umpire's finger went up.
WICKET (Samuels 15).
Deva picked up another wicket later in the day, cleaning up Darren Sammy with a bouncer that the captain couldn't handle, top-edging it to fine leg.
West Indies were bowled out for 304. (Chanderpaul 118).
Deva Figures: 15-3-45-2. Ashwin took 3 wickets on debut.
Day 2:
India walked out to bat. Sehwag and Deva. The crowd at Kotla roared. Two of the most destructive batsmen in the world opening in a Test match. It was a bowler's nightmare.
Over 1: Fidel Edwards to Sehwag
Edwards ran in fast. Short and wide.
Sehwag slashed. No footwork, just hands.
The ball flew over point. FOUR.
"See ball, hit ball," Sehwag winked at Deva mid-pitch. "No complications. Don't overthink it, Sid."
Over 2: Ravi Rampaul to Deva
Deva took guard. Rampaul pitched it up, looking for swing.
Deva leaned forward. High elbow. The classic cover drive.
The ball raced across the lush outfield. FOUR.
Next ball. Rampaul dropped it short.
Deva swiveled. The pull shot.
SIX over square leg.
Commentary (Ravi Shastri): "This is not Test cricket! This is highlight reel cricket! They are racing each other! 50 up in 6 overs! The West Indies bowlers don't know where to bowl!"
They added 100 runs in just 18 overs. The West Indies bowlers looked shell-shocked. Sehwag was cutting over the slips; Deva was driving down the ground.
Sehwag fell for 55 off 55 balls (attempting a reverse sweep against spin, classic Viru madness).
Enter Rahul Dravid. The tempo changed. The Wall arrived.
Dravid anchored one end, blocking and leaving. This allowed Deva to express himself freely.
He reached 99 with a flick to mid-wicket.
Over 42: Devendra Bishoo to Deva.
Flighted delivery. Deva stepped out. He drove it straight back past the bowler.
FOUR.
Century for Siddanth Deva.
100 off 110 balls.
He raised his bat, acknowledging the dressing room. He fell shortly after, edging a cutter from Sammy to the keeper.
WICKET (Deva 112).
Sachin Tendulkar walked in. The expectation was palpable. He looked sublime. He scored 76, looking set for the 100th hundred. But he fell LBW to Devendra Bishoo, missing a googly. The crowd groaned in unison.
India finished on 409. Lead of 105.
Day 3 & 4:
Second Innings. The pitch was turning square. Dust was exploding from the surface.
R. Ashwin took 6 wickets, destroying the West Indies lineup with his variations. Pragyan Ojha supported well with 2 wickets.
Deva bowled 5 overs of heat, cleaning up the tailender Devendra Bishoo with a toe-crushing yorker.
West Indies All Out: 180.
Target: 76.
The Chase:
Sehwag and Deva walked out. 76 to win.
They treated it like a T20 powerplay.
Sehwag hit three boundaries in the first over. Deva hit a six off Sammy.
They finished it in 15 overs.
Deva: 40*. Sehwag: 35*.
Result: India won by 10 wickets.
Deva Match Stats: 152 Runs, 3 Wickets.
---
Date: November 14th, 2011.
Location: Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
Series Status: India leads 1-0.
Eden Gardens. The Colosseum. 60,000 people. The noise was different here—more knowledgeable, more demanding.
The Toss:
Dhoni won. "We bat. It's a batting paradise. We want to bat once and bat big."
Day 1:
Sehwag fell early, caught at slip for 30, trying to slash a wide one.
Rahul Dravid at No. 3.
Siddanth Deva and Rahul Dravid.
The partnership was art. Dravid defended like a fortress, wearing down the bowlers. Deva attacked with surgical precision, finding gaps that didn't exist.
Over 40: Darren Sammy to Deva
Deva stepped out. He went inside-out over cover.
FOUR.
"Shot," Dravid said, nodding his approval. "Head still. Watch the hand."
Deva reached his 50 in 60 balls.
By Tea, India was 153/1.
Post-Tea, the floodgates opened.
VVS Laxman walked in after Dravid fell.
Laxman and Deva. The Hyderabadi duo.
It was wrist work galore. The Eden Gardens crowd was treated to a masterclass in elegant batting.
Over 85: Deva flicked Kemar Roach through mid-wicket. FOUR.
Over 86: Laxman flicked Fidel Edwards through mid-wicket. FOUR.
It was like watching synchronized swimming. They didn't hit the ball; they caressed it.
Deva Century: 100 off 130 balls.
He didn't stop. He pushed for the 150. He was in the zone.
Day 1 Stumps: India 346/2.
Day 2: The Declaration
Deva continued the next morning. He drove, he pulled, he cut.
He scored 167 before being caught at deep square leg trying to hit a six to reach 173. A marathon innings of concentration and flair.
VVS Laxman scored a sublime 176*.
MS Dhoni smashed a quick 144 against a tired attack.
India Declared: 631/7.
Commentary (Sunil Gavaskar): "A mountain. A literal mountain of runs. West Indies are buried under the weight of the scorecard. Deva's 167 was the cornerstone, but Laxman and Dhoni have put the nail in the coffin."
West Indies Innings:
They collapsed for 153.
The Indian spinners were unplayable on the deteriorating track.
Follow-On Enforced.
Second Innings:
Darren Bravo scored a fighting century (136), looking like a clone of Brian Lara with his high backlift and flourish. But the Indian spinners were too good.
Deva took the wicket of Marlon Samuels (Caught behind) and Carlton Baugh (Bowled) with reverse swing that tailed in late.
Deva Figures: 18-5-40-2.
West Indies All Out: 463.
Result: India won by an Innings & 15 runs.
Series: India leads 2-0.
---
Date: November 22nd, 2011.
Location: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
The buzz was deafening. The series was won, but the milestone remained. Every ticket was sold. The nation held its breath.
The Toss:
West Indies won. Batted first.
The pitch was flat. A road. A batsman's dream.
Darren Bravo (166), Kirk Edwards (86), and Kieran Powell (81) played brilliantly.
Deva toiled. He bowled 25 overs in the heat.
Over 90: Deva to Bravo.
He went round the wicket. Reverse swing yorker.
It crashed into the base of the stumps.
WICKET.
He finished with 3/80.
West Indies: 590 All Out.
India Batting (Day 3 & 4):
It was a run feast.
Sehwag scored a quick 37.
Deva and Sachin batted together.
This was it. The partnership the world wanted. The God and the Devil.
Sachin looked fluent. He drove, he cut, he pulled. He looked younger, faster.
Deva played second fiddle, rotating strike, giving the Master the stage. He blocked, he nudged, he ran hard.
Sachin moves to 90.
The crowd held its breath. 35,000 people went silent.
91... 92... 93... 94.
Over 65: Ravi Rampaul to Sachin
Rampaul bowled a short ball. Fast. Directed at the body.
Sachin tried to upper-cut it over slips. He was cramped for room.
Edge.
The ball flew to second slip. Darren Sammy took it.
WICKET (Sachin 94).
The silence was worse than a funeral. It was a physical blow. People were crying in the stands.
Deva stood at the non-striker's end, head bowed. He knew what this meant. The wait continued.
Commentary (Harsha Bhogle): "Oh, the tragedy! The silence tells the story! 94! He falls short by 6 runs! The wait continues! Wankhede is stunned! You could hear a pin drop."
Deva channeled his frustration into his bat. He reached his own Century (103) but didn't celebrate. He just raised his bat grimly, acknowledging the applause.
Virat Kohli scored a brilliant 52. R. Ashwin scored a maiden Test century (103), showing his all-round class.
India: 482 All Out.
Trail by 108 runs.
West Indies 2nd Innings:
The pitch started turning violently on Day 5. And the ball started reversing.
Deva and Ashwin destroyed the Windies line-up.
Over 40: Deva to Kieran Powell. Bouncer. Caught gully.
Over 42: Deva to Marlon Samuels. Yorker. Bowled.
Over 44: Deva to Darren Sammy. Slower ball. LBW.
Over 46: Deva to Ravi Rampaul. Catch at mid-on.
Over 48: Deva to Devendra Bishoo. Clean bowled.
FIVE WICKET HAUL FOR DEVA.
Figures: 5/45.
West Indies All Out: 134.
Target: 243 runs.
Overs Remaining: 64. (Effectively a T20 chase on a Day 5 pitch).
The Chase:
Dhoni said: "Go for it. We want 3-0. No draws."
Sehwag and Deva opened.
Over 1 to 10:
Sehwag went berserk. 4, 4, 6, 4. He didn't care about the Day 5 rough.
Deva joined in.
60 runs in 10 overs.
Sehwag fell for 60 off 65 balls. Caught at long-on trying to hit a six.
Score: 85/1.
Deva and Kohli.
They ran hard. They hit bad balls. But the pitch was playing tricks. Balls were keeping low.
Kohli out (20). Dravid out (15). Sachin out (3).
Score: 150/4.
Overs Remaining: 20.
Needed: 93 runs.
Deva stood firm. He reached his 50. Then 70.
He was batting with the tail. R. Ashwin joined him.
They took the score to 220/8.
Over 62: Ravi Rampaul to Deva
Deva hit a six over mid-wicket. Then a four through covers.
He moved to 95.
He tried to steal a single to keep the strike.
Run Out!
A direct hit from mid-off caught Deva inches short.
He fell for 95. A heroic effort.
Score: 232/9.
The Final Over:
Last Pair: Varun Aaron and R. Ashwin.
Needed: 4 runs to win off 6 balls.
Bowler: Fidel Edwards.
Ball 1: Dot. (Play and miss).
Ball 2: Dot. (Bouncer).
Ball 3: Single (Aaron). (3 needed off 3).
Ball 4: Ashwin plays and misses. (Crowd screams).
Ball 5: Ashwin takes a single. (Scores Level).
Ball 6: Aaron on strike. 2 to win. 1 wicket in hand.
Edwards bowled a yorker. Aaron blocked it.
Run Out chance! Ashwin ran for the single. Aaron didn't move initially, then ran.
The fielder threw to the bowler's end.
The stumps were broken.
Run Out.
India All Out: 242.
West Indies: 134.
Target: 243.
MATCH DRAWN (SCORES LEVEL).
It was only the second tied Test in history (scores level) where the side batting fourth was bowled out.
Commentary (Ravi Shastri): "UNBELIEVABLE! History at Wankhede! The match ends in a DRAW with scores level! Ashwin is run out on the last ball trying to steal a single! What a finish! Siddanth Deva's heroics go in vain, but what a game of cricket!"
Post-Match Presentation:
Ravi Shastri: "Man of the Match. For a 5-wicket haul and 95 runs in the chase... Siddanth Deva."
Deva collected the trophy. He looked exhausted.
Shastri: "Sid, one run short. How does it feel?"
Deva: "It hurts, Ravi bhai. We wanted the win. But a draw is better than a loss. Test cricket is the winner today."
Shastri: "Man of the Series?"
The numbers were staggering.
Runs: 414 (Avg: 82.8).
Wickets: 10.
Centuries: 2.
5-Wicket Hauls: 1.
"The Player of the Series is SIDDANTH DEVA!"
Dhoni collected the Series Trophy (2-0). The team posed.
In the Dressing Room:
Deva sat with his feet in an ice bucket.
Sachin walked up. He looked tired, the 94 still hurting.
"Well played, Sid," Sachin said.
"Sorry, Paaji," Deva said softly. "I couldn't finish it."
Sachin smiled. "You got us close. That's what matters."