On this very day in 1985, Mohammed Azharuddin, one of the most successful captains in Indian cricket history, achieved a milestone by scoring his maiden Test century. This remarkable feat took place during a Test against England at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata, marking Azharuddin’s debut in international cricket.
Leading the Indian team, Sunil Gavaskar made a judicious decision to bat first after winning the toss. Despite a sluggish start that saw the early dismissals of Gavaskar and Anshuman Gaekwad at 35, the partnership between Mohinder Amarnath and Dilip Vengsarkar showed promise. However, the scoring rate remained cautious.
Mohammed Azharuddin scored a stellar 110 off 322 deliveries
The momentum shifted when Ravi Shastri and debutant Mohammed Azharuddin built a substantial partnership. By the end of the first day, India had reached 168 runs with the loss of four wickets. Unfortunately, rain interrupted the second day, allowing only a brief 20 minutes of play, during which India added a mere eight runs, all credited to Azharuddin.
The third day showcased Azharuddin’s exceptional skills as he reached his century, forming a crucial alliance with Ravi Shastri. While Azhar’s majestic batting enthralled fans at Eden Gardens, India’s strategy puzzled the home crowd as they maintained a scoring rate of under two runs per over.
Norman Cowans played a pivotal role, breaking the partnership by dismissing Mohammed Azharuddin for 110 off 322 deliveries, including 10 boundaries. Azharuddin’s debut innings came to an end as he was caught by David Gower.
Simultaneously, Ravi Shastri, who batted throughout all five days of the fixture, was eventually dismissed for 111 in the first innings, with Cowans once again taking the wicket. Fueled by the centuries from Azhar and Shastri, India posted an imposing total of 437/7.
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