Date: November 14-15, 2013
Location: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Event: 2nd Test, India vs. West Indies (Days 1 & 2)
The loud cheers that had greeted Sachin Tendulkar's final walk onto the field slowly morphed into a steady, focused hum as the Indian players dispersed to their fielding positions.
The tributes had been paid. The guard of honor had dispersed. MS Dhoni took his position behind the stumps, tapping his leather gloves together, his eyes scanning the field. He gave a subtle nod to his opening bowler.
Up in the commentary box, the veteran voices of the game settled into their chairs.
"Before we get down to the action in the middle, just take a look around the Wankhede today," Harsha Bhogle's voice took over the broadcast, capturing the occasion. "The stands are packed with familiar faces today. Aamir Khan and Hrithik Roshan are in the VIP pavilion, alongside several prominent business figures. Brian Lara has also flown in all the way from the Caribbean to watch his friend take the field one last time."
"But perhaps the most special guest today," Harsha's voice softened, "is sitting quietly in the President's Box. For the very first time in twenty-four years, Sachin's mother, Rajni Tendulkar, has come to a stadium to watch her son play live. A truly historic moment for the Tendulkar family."
"The emotions have been incredible this morning, but we finally have a Test match to play," Ravi Shastri's voice boomed over the broadcast, transitioning seamlessly into the action. "The West Indies have been sent in to bat first by MS Dhoni on a Wankhede pitch that has a bit of moisture and a decent covering of grass. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has the new red cherry in hand. Chris Gayle and Kieran Powell are out in the middle for the visitors."
"It is a crucial morning session for both teams," Ian Bishop added, watching the field set. "Chris Gayle can take the game away in a single session if he gets his eye in. But Bhuvneshwar Kumar knows how to bowl in these morning conditions. He will look to exploit whatever swing is available."
Bhuvneshwar started from over the wicket to Chris Gayle. The first delivery was a classic outswinger, pitching on a good length and moving gently away from the massive Jamaican left-hander. Gayle respected the movement, shouldering arms and letting it carry through to Dhoni.
At the other end, MS Dhoni handed the ball to Mohammed Shami to share the new-ball attack. Shami, bowling with excellent rhythm, hit the deck hard. He consistently bowled a probing line just outside the off-stump at speeds hovering around 140 kilometers per hour, giving the openers very little room.
For the first forty-five minutes, it was a traditional, gritty Test match battle. Gayle and Powell were watchful, managing to score only a handful of boundaries. The score crept to 28 for no loss.
In the tenth over, Shami finally found the breakthrough.
He bowled a rapid, well-directed delivery that pitched on middle and leg, angling across Kieran Powell. Powell attempted to flick it through mid-wicket, but the ball held its line just a fraction. It caught the leading edge, flying sharply to Bhuvneshwar Kumar at fine leg, who took a safe catch.
"Caught! Shami draws first blood!" Harsha Bhogle called out. "It was a disciplined spell of fast bowling, and it yields the result. Powell was looking tied down, and the pressure forces the error."
Kieran Powell: c Kumar b Shami 11 (28)
Darren Bravo walked in at number three. He was immediately tested by Bhuvneshwar, who finally found the perfect line to Chris Gayle in the very next over.
Bhuvneshwar pitched the ball up, inviting the drive. Gayle planted his front foot, expecting the away swing, but Bhuvneshwar cleverly rolled his fingers to deliver an inswinger. The ball darted back through the gate, bypassing the inside edge, and thudded into Gayle's front pad.
The Indian fielders went up in a loud appeal. The umpire raised his finger without hesitation.
"Plumb in front! Gayle is gone!" Ravi Shastri roared. "Bhuvneshwar Kumar sets him up beautifully. He bowled four away-swingers and then brings the fifth one back in sharply. The West Indies are two down early!"
Chris Gayle: lbw b Kumar 18 (31)
The score was 35 for 2. Marlon Samuels joined Darren Bravo at the crease. The two experienced West Indian batsmen realized the need for consolidation. They played watchfully, surviving the remainder of the opening spells from Shami and Bhuvneshwar.
As the sun climbed higher in the Mumbai sky, the pitch began to lose its early moisture. The ball stopped swinging, and the surface flattened out, becoming much more conducive to batting. Bravo played a few elegant cover drives, while Samuels looked solid in his defense.
By the 22nd over, the partnership had steadied the ship, taking the score to 72 for 2.
MS Dhoni, recognizing that the West Indian pair was looking comfortable against the pace, signaled a bowling change.
"And here comes Siddanth Deva into the attack," Sourav Ganguly noted from the commentary box. "The pitch has flattened out, so he won't get much lateral movement, but he has the raw pace to make things uncomfortable."
Siddanth took the ball from his captain. He marked his run-up carefully, relying on his extensive experience bowling on flat domestic tracks to starve Bravo of width.
He steamed in and bowled his first delivery—a sharp, 142 kmph ball aimed directly at the base of the off-stump. Bravo defended it solidly. Siddanth bowled the entire over on the exact same spot, offering no room. It was a maiden over.
In his second over, Siddanth shifted his focus to Marlon Samuels.
Samuels was a stationary player, preferring to stand tall in the crease. Siddanth decided to push him onto the back foot. He ran in hard and delivered a heavy bouncer aimed at the ribcage. Samuels swayed out of the way awkwardly.
On the fourth delivery of the over, Siddanth changed his angle. He bowled from slightly wider on the crease, angling the ball sharply into the right-hander. Samuels, expecting the ball to hold its line, tried to defend it from the crease.
The ball skidded off the hard Wankhede surface, kept a fraction low, and crashed past the inside edge of the bat, knocking back the middle and leg stumps.
"Bowled him! What a delivery!" Ian Bishop exclaimed. "Siddanth hits the woodwork! That ball skidded through quickly. Samuels was beaten for pace and trajectory. A massive wicket for India!"
Marlon Samuels: b Deva 15 (34)
The breakthrough energized the Indian fielders. The crowd roared its approval as Siddanth exchanged a quick high-five with MS Dhoni.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the veteran West Indian anchor with his famously unorthodox stance, walked out to the middle.
Siddanth knew Chanderpaul was a master of survival. Trying to bowl him out with sheer pace was difficult, so Siddanth maintained a relentless channel just outside the off-stump, bowling three consecutive maiden overs to dry up the runs. The pressure on Darren Bravo at the other end mounted significantly.
In the 31st over, Siddanth returned to bowl to Bravo.
Bravo, frustrated by the lack of scoring opportunities, decided to force the issue. Siddanth bowled a full delivery, seemingly offering width outside the off-stump. Bravo lunged forward for an expansive cover drive.
But Siddanth had rolled his fingers over the seam. The ball wasn't traveling at its usual pace; it was a deceptive 120 kmph off-cutter.
Bravo, misjudging the pace, was through his shot too early. The ball gripped the dry surface, took a thick outside edge, and flew sharply to the right of the wicket-keeper.
MS Dhoni, anticipating the edge, dove cleanly to his right and took a spectacular, one-handed catch inches from the ground.
"Edged and taken! Brilliant catch by MS Dhoni!" Ravi Shastri shouted into the microphone. "Siddanth Deva executes a perfect slower ball! He bought that wicket with pure patience. He tied Bravo down for four overs, offered him the bait, and the batsman falls right into the trap! The West Indies are four down!"
Darren Bravo: c Dhoni b Deva 28 (65)
Siddanth nodded approvingly at his captain, acknowledging the brilliant catch. His spell of 2 for 18 in seven overs had effectively broken the back of the West Indian top order.
The score was 85 for 4.
From that point onward, MS Dhoni unleashed his spinners. The Wankhede pitch, baking under the afternoon sun, had begun to offer significant turn and bounce. Every time Ashwin or Pragyan Ojha pitched the ball, small puffs of iconic red Wankhede dust kicked off the surface.
The two spinners operated with precision. Ojha, with his classical left-arm orthodox action, trapped Narsingh Deonarine LBW just before the lunch break.
After lunch, Ashwin took over. The tall off-spinner utilized the bounce of the pitch to trouble the West Indian middle order. He removed Denesh Ramdin with a beautiful carrom ball that caught the outside edge, safely pouched by Virat Kohli at slip.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul fought a lonely, gritty battle, refusing to give his wicket away.
"You have to admire Chanderpaul," Sunil Gavaskar noted from the commentary box. "While the rest of the top order has crumbled against this Indian bowling attack, he is just stubbornly surviving. It is incredibly effective Test match batting."
He blocked, ducked, and left the ball for hours, scoring a resilient 45. But the pressure at the other end was too much.
Darren Sammy tried to counter-attack Pragyan Ojha by hitting him down the ground but misjudged the spin and was caught at long-on by Mohammed Shami.
Eventually, Ashwin produced a turning off-break that caught the shoulder of Chanderpaul's bat, sending it straight to Cheteshwar Pujara at short leg.
The tail offered very little resistance. Tino Best was run out following a mix-up between the wickets, and Shami was brought back into the attack to clean up the final wicket, bowling Shannon Gabriel with a searing yorker.
The West Indian innings folded shortly before the Tea break on Day 1.
WEST INDIES: 176 All Out (55.4 Overs)
"And that is the end of the innings," Harsha Bhogle announced as the umpires signaled for the players to head off. "The West Indies have been bowled out for a very modest 176. It was a complete, disciplined performance by the Indian bowling unit. Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar provided the early breakthroughs, Siddanth Deva bowled a phenomenal spell to remove Bravo and Samuels, and the spinners cleaned up the rest."
"It is a heavily under-par score, Harsha," Sourav Ganguly analyzed from the desk. "The pitch has some turn, yes, but 176 is simply not enough runs on the board. The West Indian batsmen lacked application. Now, the Indian top order has the opportunity to walk out there and bat the opposition entirely out of the game in this final session."
---
Inside the Indian dressing room, the atmosphere was relaxed but professional. MS Dhoni addressed the top order.
"Good job in the field, boys," Dhoni said, unstrapping his keeping pads. "The pitch is taking some spin, but it's very manageable if you play late. Shikhar, Cheteshwar. They are going to come out hard with the new ball. Don't throw your wickets away. Build the platform and let's bat through the session."
Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara nodded, grabbing their bats and helmets.
The Wankhede crowd, which had been relatively quiet during the final stages of the West Indian innings, roared back to life as the Indian openers walked out to the middle. The evening sun cast long shadows across the stadium.
Tino Best and Kemar Roach took the new balls for the West Indies.
Shikhar Dhawan, batting with his usual flair, immediately took the attack to the fast bowlers. When Tino Best pitched the ball up, Dhawan leaned into a crisp cover drive that found the boundary.
At the other end, Cheteshwar Pujara played the perfect foil. The Saurashtra batsman was a picture of absolute concentration. He left the balls outside off-stump, defended the straight deliveries with a dead bat, and blunted the West Indian pace attack.
The partnership flourished beautifully throughout the evening session. Dhawan hit consecutive boundaries off Darren Sammy, punishing any loose deliveries, while Pujara quietly accumulated his runs with solid, unflappable precision. The West Indian bowlers found no answers as the shadows lengthened over the Wankhede.
By the time the umpires removed the bails to signal the end of Day 1, India had cruised into a dominant position.
Stumps, Day 1: INDIA 134/0 (32 Overs)
(Dhawan 78, Pujara 52)**
---
The following morning, the atmosphere in Mumbai was electric. The Wankhede Stadium was packed to absolute capacity hours before the first ball was bowled. The sea of blue and the constant chanting created a vibrant, festival-like environment.
Up in the commentary box, Harsha Bhogle and Sunil Gavaskar looked out over the sunlit ground.
"A very warm welcome to Day 2 of this historic Test match," Harsha announced to the broadcast. "India is in a completely dominant position at 134 for no loss, trailing by just 42 runs. But Sunny, the crowd isn't just here to watch India take a first-innings lead. They are waiting for one man."
"They absolutely are, Harsha," Gavaskar smiled. "But they might have to wait a bit longer today. Dhawan and Pujara looked completely untroubled yesterday evening. The West Indies will need early wickets with the older ball this morning if they want to claw their way back into this contest."
The umpires walked out, followed by the West Indian team and the two Indian openers, picking up right where they left off.
Kemar Roach started the proceedings for the morning session. Dhawan immediately found his rhythm, driving Roach through the covers to enter the eighties.
However, the morning moisture offered a slight grip for the bowlers. In the 18th over, Darren Sammy bowled a gentle, nagging medium-pace delivery that seemed to hold its line. Dhawan, attempting to cut it past backward point, played the shot a fraction too close to his body. The ball caught the faintest of outside edges and nestled cleanly into the gloves of Denesh Ramdin.
"Caught behind! Sammy provides the early breakthrough on Day 2!" Ravi Shastri boomed on the broadcast. "Shikhar Dhawan was looking so fluent, but he chases a slightly wide delivery and edges it. A magnificent opening stand comes to an end."
Shikhar Dhawan: c Ramdin b Sammy 88 (104)
The score was 152 for 1.
Virat Kohli walked out to the middle. He marked his guard with an intense, focused energy.
For the next hour, Kohli and Pujara built a solid, untroubled partnership. Kohli looked in good touch, whipping Kemar Roach through mid-wicket for a boundary, while Pujara continued to anchor his end, pushing his score into the seventies and ensuring India crossed the West Indian total with ease.
But the atmosphere in the Wankhede stadium was entirely strange.
Normally, when Kohli and Pujara were building a strong partnership, the crowd would be cheering every run, urging them to dominate the bowling. Today, however, the applause was polite, almost impatient.
Every time a West Indian bowler ran in, a collective, silent tension gripped the stands. Whenever Kohli played and missed, a strange, almost hopeful murmur would ripple through the crowd.
They weren't rooting against their own team. They just desperately, passionately wanted a wicket to fall.
Because the fall of the second wicket meant only one thing. The arrival of the number four batsman.
"You can feel the anticipation in the air, Ian," Harsha Bhogle noted from the commentary box, a small smile evident in his voice. "Every single person in this stadium is waiting for a wicket. They are not here to watch a massive partnership between Kohli and Pujara today. They are here for one man."
"It is quite the phenomenon," Ian Bishop chuckled. "I don't think Virat Kohli has ever walked out to bat in India where the crowd is actively hoping he gets out quickly just so they can see the next man in."
The score reached 205 for 1. The morning session was nearing its end.
Darren Sammy tossed the ball to his premier off-spinner, Shane Shillingford.
Shillingford came over the wicket to Cheteshwar Pujara. He bowled a flighted delivery, landing it perfectly on a dusty patch just outside the off-stump.
Pujara, attempting to defend it on the front foot, prodded forward with hard hands. The ball gripped the dry surface, turned sharply inward, and caught the inside edge of his bat. It bounced onto his front pad and popped up into the air toward the leg side.
Darren Sammy, stationed at leg slip, dove forward and took a clean, low catch.
The West Indian fielders went up in a loud appeal. The umpire raised his finger immediately.
Cheteshwar Pujara: c Sammy b Shillingford 75 (140)
For exactly two seconds, there was absolute silence in the stadium.
Pujara looked at the pitch, tucked his bat under his arm, and began to walk off.
And then, the realization hit the stands.
The second wicket had fallen.
A massive roar echoed through the stadium. The crowd rose to their feet as one. The noise level was so high that out in the middle, Umpire Richard Kettleborough had to walk over to Darren Sammy just to be heard over the chanting.
In the Indian dressing room, MS Dhoni, Siddanth Deva, Rohit Sharma, and the rest of the squad gathered at the edge of the balcony, standing shoulder-to-shoulder. They stood together, waiting to watch him bat one last time.
The heavy glass doors of the pavilion opened.
A small, curly-haired man, carrying a bat adorned with the familiar MRF sponsor sticker, stepped out into the Mumbai sunlight. He paused for a fraction of a second at the top of the stairs, adjusting his helmet grill, taking in the moment.
The chants began to ripple through the stands, quickly swelling until the entire arena was echoing with his name.
"SACHIN! SACHIN!"
"SACHIN! SACHIN!"
"SACHIN! SACHIN!"
"SACHIN! SACHIN!"
"SACHIN! SACHIN!"
"Listen to this crowd," Harsha Bhogle said softly, his voice thick with genuine emotion as the camera tracked the legend walking slowly down the concrete steps. "The long wait is over. For the two hundredth time in Test match cricket, the Master walks out to the middle. This is not just a batsman walking to the crease. This is an emotion. This is the heartbeat of a nation."
Sachin Tendulkar stepped over the boundary rope, his spikes crunching onto the grass. The roar of the crowd swelled again.
At the non-striker's end, Virat Kohli physically stepped completely away from the pitch. He took off his helmet and applauded his childhood hero along with the crowd, giving Sachin the entire stage before finally walking over to tap gloves with him.
Darren Sammy quickly called his fielders in. The West Indian players formed a quick, respectful corridor near the pitch, clapping their hands against their thighs as Sachin walked through them to take his guard.
He walked to the center of the pitch. Small puffs of red dust kicked up around his spikes as he marked his guard.
He went through his familiar pre-delivery routine: the deep squat, the adjustment of his helmet, and the rhythmic tapping of his bat.
As the West Indian bowler started his run-up, a hush fell over the normally raucous crowd, every eye in the stadium fixed on the pitch for the first delivery.
[SIDDANTH DEVA CURRENT MATCH STATS: Bowling (1st Innings): 2 for 18 (7 overs) | Batting: Yet to bat]