Date: July 25th, 2011.
Location: Lord's Cricket Ground.
Session: Morning.
Overnight Score: England 124/5.
Lead: 114 runs.
Weather: Bright sunshine, but a nippy breeze cutting across the ground.
The final day of the 2000th Test began under a canopy of nervous energy. The queues outside St John's Wood station snaked around the block, a mix of optimistic English fans hoping for a tail-wag and anxious Indian supporters praying for a quick kill. A result was guaranteed. The question was: History or Heartbreak?
Pre-Match Analysis (Nasser Hussain):
"Welcome to Day 5. The equation is simple, but the context is heavy. England leads by 114 with 5 wickets in hand. If Matt Prior, the counter-attacker, and the tail can scrape together another 80-100 runs, setting India a target of 220+ on a wearing Day 5 pitch... well, history tells us that chasing anything over 200 here is a nightmare. The rough outside the off-stump is widening, and Swann will be interested. But India has the momentum. They have Deva."
The Indian team walked out of the Long Room. They didn't look tired despite the four grueling days. They looked hungry. MS Dhoni led them, chewing his gum with a rhythmic intensity, but it was Siddanth Deva who drew the eyes. He had the ball in his hand.
Ishant Sharma started the proceedings from the Pavilion End, using his height to extract bounce from the cracks.
Over 52: Ishant to Matt Prior.
Prior looked to be aggressive, trying to punch Ishant off the back foot. But the ball hit a crack and rose sharply.
It was a nasty delivery, directed at the throat. Prior fended it off awkwardly to gully, where Suresh Raina took a sharp catch.
WICKET (Prior 16).
Siddanth Deva took the ball from the Nursery End. He wasn't bowling express pace today; he was bowling with the intellect of a spinner. He saw the footmarks created by the bowlers over four days.
Over 55: Deva to Graeme Swann.
Deva ran in. He held the ball cross-seam.
54.1: Good length, angling in. Swann defended.
54.2: Deva went wide of the crease. He bowled a cutter. The ball gripped the surface and moved away slightly. Swann played inside the line.
54.3: The Setup. Deva bowled full and straight, tailing in towards the pads. Swann's eyes lit up for the on-drive.
But Deva had rolled his fingers. It was the reverse-swinging yorker, dipping late.
Swann played all around it, his bat coming down a fraction of a second too late.
Thud.
The ball crashed into the boot in front of middle and leg.
The appeal was deafening. The umpire didn't hesitate.
LBW.
WICKET (Swann 8).
The tail wagged briefly, adding 30 frustrating runs through Stuart Broad's aggressive swinging. Broad hit three boundaries off Ishant, frustrating Dhoni. But Praveen Kumar was brought back into the attack to use his guile. He cleaned up Bresnan with an outswinger and trapped Tremlett LBW.
England All Out: 180.
Lead: 170 runs.
Target for India: 171 runs to win.
Lunch was taken early. The chase would begin immediately after the break. 171 runs. A tricky total. Not enough to defend comfortably, but enough to cause panic if early wickets fell.
Target: 171.
Overs Available: Minimum 60.
Required Rate: ~2.85.
In the dressing room, the silence was thick. 171 felt larger than it was. The pitch was deteriorating.
MS Dhoni stood in the center of the room. He didn't give a long speech. He looked at his openers.
"Don't go into a shell," Dhoni said, his voice cutting through the tension. "If the ball is there, hit it. Anderson will try to bore you out. He will bowl 60 balls outside off stump if he has to. Don't let him dictate. We play our game."
Siddanth Deva and Abhinav Mukund padded up. Deva adjusted his helmet. He looked at the target. 171. He looked at the sky. Clear blue. He looked at James Anderson, who was marking his run-up at the Pavilion End.
Deva tapped his bat on the floor. He felt a shift in his mindset. The 'Chanderpaul' resilience that had served him well in the first innings was shelved. Today, he needed something else. He needed the aggression that had won him the IPL. He needed to break the English morale before they could settle into a rhythm.
"Let's finish this early," Deva muttered to Mukund as they walked out.
Over 1: James Anderson to Siddanth Deva
The crowd buzzed. Anderson, the master of swing, against the young phenomenon.
0.1: Anderson ran in. Smooth action. Perfect release.
The ball was a classic outswinger, pitching on off stump and shaping away. A ball demanding respect.
Deva didn't respect it. He stepped out. On the first ball of a Day 5 chase at Lord's.
He met the ball on the rise, negating the swing before it could fully develop. He punched it back past the bowler with a high elbow.
The timing was exquisite. The ball raced down the ground, beating mid-off.
FOUR.
Commentary (David Lloyd): "Goodness gracious! Did you see that? First ball! He's walked down the track to Jimmy Anderson! That is not Test cricket; that is a statement of intent! He is telling England, 'I am not here to survive, I am here to win!'"
0.2: Anderson, rattled, pulled his length back.
Deva stayed in his crease. He rose on his toes and tapped it to point.
Dot.
0.3: Anderson went fuller again, trying to bring the slips into play.
Deva leaned forward. He didn't drive hard; he just pushed. The ball sped through the covers.
3 Runs.
Deva wasn't playing for a draw. He wasn't playing for survival. He had mentally activated the aggressive template he used in white-ball cricket, adapting it for the red ball.
Over 4: Chris Tremlett to Deva
Tremlett, the tall fast bowler, tried to extract bounce from the wearing pitch.
3.1: Short ball. Rising to chest height.
Deva didn't sway. He swiveled. He rolled his wrists over the ball, keeping it down.
FOUR through deep square leg.
3.2: Tremlett corrected, bowling full on off stump.
Deva defended with a dead bat.
Dot.
3.3: Tremlett bowled a 'heavy ball' back of a length.
Deva hopped back and punched it through the covers off the back foot. The sound of the bat echoed around the stadium.
FOUR.
Over 6: Stuart Broad to Mukund
Abhinav Mukund, usually a tentative starter, seemed inspired by Deva's aggression. He wasn't going to let the youngster have all the fun.
Broad bowled wide. Mukund drove through the covers for three runs.
The scoreboard raced. 50/0 in 10 overs.
Run rate: 5.00.
England looked shell-shocked. They had expected a grind; they were getting a blitz.
Over 12: Tim Bresnan to Mukund
Bresnan replaced Anderson. He bowled a tight line, frustrated the batsman.
Mukund tried to force the pace. He saw width where there was none. He flashed hard at a ball leaving him.
The Edge: It flew fast to first slip.
The Catch: Andrew Strauss held on.
WICKET (Mukund 32).
India: 58/1.
Target: 113 more.
The breakthrough England needed. The crowd roared. A collapse here could change everything.
The applause for Mukund died down, replaced by a respectful murmur as Rahul Dravid walked down the steps. The Wall. The man who had faced more balls in this match than the entire English team combined.
Usually, in this situation, Dravid would shut shop. He would block for an hour, ensuring no further wickets fell, slowly grinding the bowlers into dust.
But Deva walked up to him mid-pitch.
"Jammy bhai," Deva said, leaning on his bat. "They are flat. Their shoulders are down. Anderson is tired. If we attack now, even for twenty minutes, they will crumble. We can kill the game right here."
Dravid looked at the field settings. He saw the slips. He saw the gaps in the outfield. He looked at Deva's eyes, burning with intensity.
A small smile appeared on Dravid's face.
"Okay," Dravid said. "Let's run them ragged."
What followed was a revelation. Rahul Dravid, the purist, started playing with a strike rate of 90.
Over 18: Graeme Swann to Dravid
Swann tossed it up, hoping to trap Dravid on the crease.
17.1: Dravid didn't prod. He went down on one knee. A hard, flat sweep shot.
It rocketed to the square leg boundary.
FOUR.
17.2: Swann, surprised, fired it in flatter.
Dravid stepped out. He drove it with the spin to long-on.
2 Runs.
17.3: Flighted again.
Dravid rocked back and cut it past point.
FOUR.
Commentary (Michael Atherton): "I don't believe what I'm seeing! Rahul Dravid is taking the attack to the opposition! He's scoring at a run a ball! India has decided they want to catch the early train home!"
Deva, meanwhile, was in overdrive. He wasn't slogging; he was dismantling.
---
Over 22: Stuart Broad to Deva
Broad was steaming in, angry. He knew Deva was the prize wicket. He bowled a bouncer barrage.
21.1: Short ball. 145kmph. Aimed right at the head. Deva hooked. Controlled. One bounce four to fine leg.
Broad marched down the pitch. He got right in Deva's face, his tall frame looming over the youngster. "Is that all you got?" Broad spat. "Lucky swipe. Next one is taking your teeth out."
Deva adjusted his helmet. He looked Broad in the eye. "Bowl it faster, Stuart. The ball is coming onto the bat too slow."
21.2: Short again. Faster. Deva anticipated it. He swiveled. He pulled in front of square this time. It raced to the boundary. 2 Runs.
21.3: Broad went full, trying the yorker, trying to catch Deva off guard. Deva was waiting. He opened the face and steered it through the vacant gully region. FOUR.
With that boundary, Deva reached his 50. 50 off 38 balls. In a Test match. On Day 5. At Lord's.
He raised his bat. A quick wave. He didn't celebrate wildly. He wanted the win.
Prior clapped sarcastically from behind the stumps. "50 in a losing cause, mate. We're going to get you. One mistake."
Over 30: Anderson to Dravid
The partnership had raced to 67 in quick time. India was 125/1. Only 46 runs needed. Dravid was on 42 off 40 balls. He looked sublime. Anderson came round the wicket. He bowled a cutter. Dravid tried to drive on the up. A rare moment of looseness, perhaps seduced by the ease of the scoring. The ball moved late. Inside edge. Matt Prior dived to his right and took a stunning one-handed catch.
WICKET (Dravid 42).
India: 125/2.Target: 46 runs.
Dravid walked off to a standing ovation. He had done his job. He had broken the back of the chase.
VVS Laxman walked out. The artist. But he didn't have time to paint a picture. Deva was in a hurry. He tapped gloves with Laxman. "Just stay there, VVS bhai," Deva said, his eyes focused on the scoreboard. "I'm finishing this."
Over 32: Chris Tremlett to Deva
Deva was on 78. He needed 22 for his century. India needed 35 for the win.
31.1: Tremlett bowled back of a length. Deva stepped back and punched it through mid-wicket. FOUR.
31.2: Tremlett went short. Deva hooked. It landed in the Tavern Stand. SIX.(Deva 88).
Tremlett glared. "You're disrespecting the game, boy." Deva walked down the pitch to tap a spot. "I'm respecting the scoreboard, Chris."
31.3: Tremlett went wide. Deva slashed. The ball flew over the slips. FOUR.(Deva 92).
Over 33: Graeme Swann to Deva
Swann was brought back to try and buy a wicket. 32.1: Swann to Deva. Deva reverse swept. Powerful. FOUR.(Deva 96).
Swann laughed, a bitter, frustrated sound. "Reverse sweep at Lord's? You have no shame."
32.2: Swann tossed it up. Deva stepped out. He didn't look at the fielder at long-off. He cleared him by twenty yards. Lofted drive. SIX.
HUNDRED FOR SIDDANTH DEVA.His second of the match.102 off 85 balls.
The crowd at Lord's was on its feet. They were witnessing a demolition job. A chase of 170 was turning into a T20 exhibition.
Commentary (Ravi Shastri): "HISTORY AT LORD'S! A century in the first innings! A century in the chase! Siddanth Deva becomes only the third Indian to score a century in both innings of a Test match! And look at the pace of it! He has dismantled England in their own backyard!"
Deva took off his helmet. He bowed to the crowd. He bowed to the dressing room. He had conquered the Home of Cricket twice in four days. He looked at the Honours Board in his mind. Put my name up there twice.
India: 161/2.
Target: 171.
Needed: 10 runs.
The English fielders looked demoralized. Strauss was just going through the motions.
Over 34: Stuart Broad to Deva
33.1: Broad to Deva. Yorker.
Deva dug it out.
Dot.
33.2: Broad to Deva. Short.
Deva pulled. To deep square leg.
FOUR.
(Deva 106).
India: 165. (6 needed).
33.3: Broad to Deva.
Length ball.
Deva drove. Through extra cover.
The ball raced away.
FOUR.
India: 169. (2 needed).
Deva took a single on the next ball.
India: 170. Scores level.
Laxman blocked the last two balls.
Over 35: James Anderson to Deva
The field was up. Everyone saving the single.
Anderson ran in. He looked defeated. He just wanted it to be over.
He bowled a half-volley outside off.
Deva leaned forward. He didn't hit it hard. He just caressed it.
The cover drive. The most aristocratic shot in the game.
The ball pierced the gap between cover and mid-off.
It rolled across the turf. It crossed the rope.
FOUR.
INDIA WINS BY 8 WICKETS.
Commentary (Sunil Gavaskar): "INDIA WINS AT LORD'S! A historic victory! After 25 years, they have chased down 171 in a canter! Led by the young genius, Siddanth Deva, and supported by the legends! India goes 1-0 up in the series! What a match! What a player!"
Deva pulled a stump out of the ground. Laxman walked up and hugged him, a rare show of emotion from the stylish Hyderabadi.
"You are special, Sid," Laxman said. "Very special."
The Indian team sprinted onto the balcony, waving the tricolour. Dhoni was clapping, a wide grin on his face.
The post-match ceremony took place on the outfield. The crowd had stayed back.
Nasser Hussain: "First, the losing captain, Andrew Strauss. Andrew, 170 to defend, but blown away?"
Strauss: "Yeah, fair play to India. We thought we had a chance this morning, but the way Deva and Dravid played took the game away from us very quickly. That innings from Deva... sometimes you just have to hold your hands up and say 'too good'."
Nasser Hussain: "And now, the winning captain, MS Dhoni. MS, a historic win at Lord's."
Dhoni: "It's special. To come here and win the 2000th Test is a great feeling. The bowlers set it up yesterday evening, and the way the batsmen chased it down today was professional. It takes a lot of character to attack in a chase like this."
Nasser Hussain: "And finally... Man of the Match. For 3 wickets in the first innings, triggering the collapse in the second, and scoring a century in both innings... Siddanth Deva."
Deva walked up. The Lord's crowd gave him a standing ovation that lasted two minutes. It was a mark of respect from the most knowledgeable cricket fans in the world.
Nasser: "Sid, A hundred in both innings at Lord's. You made batting look easy on a Day 5 pitch. What was the plan this morning?"
Deva: "The plan was simple. Win. We knew 170 could be tricky if we let them dictate. So we dictated. The pitch was actually quite good for batting if you applied yourself. To win at Lord's... this is for India. This is for the fans back home."
Nasser: "You bowled well too. How is the body holding up?"
"A bit sore," Deva laughed. "Test cricket is hard work. But winning makes the pain go away."
He lifted the trophy (for man of the match). He was leaving London as a Test giant, his name etched in gold on the Honours Board forever.