What Made Mahmud’s Opening Spell in Chennai Special?

2024-09-23

In cricket, few things grab fans’ attention like a fiery bowling spell that sends a batting lineup packing, especially in the fortress of India. Enter Bangladesh’s Hasan Mahmud, who conjured up magic in Chennai, joining the exclusive club of visiting bowlers to shatter India’s top order in the opening session of a Test. It was a milestone not seen in 15 years talk about making history and causing a few heart palpitations among the home fans!

In a daring move not seen in over two decades, Bangladesh chose to send India in to bat in a home Test a gamble that could’ve backfired faster than a misjudged run! But Hasan Mahmud turned the tables with a fast-bowling masterclass, proving that bravery pays off. In less time than it takes to finish a chai break, he had Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli back in the pavilion, leaving fans and batsmen alike scratching their heads!

This performance was all the more remarkable because of its rarity. Since 2006, only a handful of visiting bowlers have managed to take three or more wickets in the opening session of a Test match in India. Mahmud now finds himself on this exclusive list, which includes the likes of Dale Steyn and Chanaka Welegedara, both of whom engineered devastating spells against India in their respective matches.

Hasan Mahmud’s opening burst in Chennai is already being compared to some of the most notable morning spells in India’s recent Test history. The only bowler to have taken more than three wickets in the opening session of a Test in India since 2006 is the legendary Dale Steyn. Steyn’s iconic spell in Ahmedabad in 2008 saw him rip through the Indian batting lineup, dismissing them for just 76 runs in 20 overs, with Makhaya Ntini playing a supporting role by taking three crucial wickets himself. That morning burst led South Africa to a massive innings victory, and it remains one of the most feared fast-bowling spells on Indian soil.

Before Steyn’s carnage, India was rattled by Pakistan in the 2007 Bengaluru Test, where Yasir Arafat reduced them to 61 for 4 by removing key players like Wasim Jaffer, Rahul Dravid, and VVS Laxman. In another instance, Chanaka Welegedara’s early strikes for Sri Lanka in 2009 left India at 31 for 3, although a century from Gautam Gambhir helped India recover and post 426 in a high-scoring draw.

By dismissing India’s top three in such quick succession, Mahmud joins this rarefied group of bowlers who have disrupted India’s solid top-order in home conditions. What makes Mahmud’s feat even more impressive is the caliber of the batsmen he removed—Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli are all key pillars of the Indian batting lineup, and dismissing them so early sent shockwaves through the match.

Mahmud’s special spell has placed him in an elite club of visiting bowlers who have managed to upset India in home conditions, and it could be the start of a promising career at the highest level.

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