Here are my picks for the top 6 Indian Hundreds which should not have gone in vain. Obviously I am still a 17 year old hence the matches I have chosen are of Recent years and the one which quickly came into my memories.
6. Sachin Tendulkar 114 vs Ban in Ban [ ODI ]
Ind and Ban locked horns in an Asia cup game in Dhaka. Cricket books were rewritten this day as Sachin Tendulkar became the first man ever to score 100 international centuries. India scored 289 setting a target of 290 for Bangladesh. Bangladesh chased it down with two balls to spare making it their best chase till that time.
5. Rahul 149 and Pant 114 vs Eng in Eng [ Test ] 2017
It was the farewell test match of Sir Alastair Cook and he scored an exquisite century at the Oval. India required 464 to win the match. English bowlers rattled Indian top-order but then two very young blokes raise to the occasion. India was 121-5 in 37 overs and needed about 343 more to win 67 overs. Pant and Rahul added 204 runs for the sixth wicket. At the start of the 81st over India needed 143 runs in 23 overs which with these two in full flow looked possible, If not win but a draw was on the cards but then Adil Rashid produced magic to dismiss Rahul.
After which the Indian lower order collapsed and India lost by 118 runs.
4. Virat Kohli 141 vs Aus in Aus [ Test ] 2014
The venue was Adelaide Oval and India was set a target of 364 in the final innings, India was looking well in command for 242-2 when Murali Vijay got out on 99. Still, Indians were the clear favorites to win the test with Kohli in excellent touch but wickets kept tumbling due to some phenomenal bowling by Nathan Lyon, still, Kohli stuck himself in the middle as every Indian thought he will do this herculean task in the Lara style but eventually, he succumbed and India lost by 48 runs.
3. Rohit Sharma 150 vs Sa in Ind [ ODI ] 2015
India took on the number one ODI side in the world at that time in Kanpur. ABD made a wonderful hundred of 70 odd deliveries and India were left to chase 304, where Rohit and Rahane stuck together to take the scoreboard to 191/1 in 34 overs. With Dhoni and Rohit batting in the final four overs, India were favorites to chase 36 down, when Rohit gave a lollipop back to Tahir and some tight bowling by Rabada against Dhoni ensured that India fell short by five runs.
https://www.bcci.tv/videos/30635
2. KL Rahul 110* vs WI in USA [ T20I ] 2016
Evin Lewis scored a wonderful 100 in a small cricket ground in the USA. India was set a target of 245 runs. Rohit and Rahul got off to flyers and by the 19th over India needed 24 runs to win. Rahul managed to score 16 runs off the penultimate over and it was down to DJ Bravo vs MS Dhoni. India needed 8 off the final over and 2 off the final delivery as MS Dhoni was dismissed resulting in a victory for West Indies by 1 run.
- Sachin Tendulkar 175 vs AUS in Ind [ ODI ] 2009
Australia set a target of 351 mainly due to a solid century by Shaun Marsh. Tendulkar was the lone warrior for his team, only Suresh Raina - 59 scored more than 40 for India. This was also the match where Tendulkar crossed 17000 ODI runs. India looked well in command as the scoreboard read 299-4 in 42 overs when Raina got out. Still, India had a decent lower order with guys like Harbhajan Singh and Ravindra Jadeja and Praveen Kumar. Tendulkar got out in an unusual manner trying to scoop Clint Mckay. India needed 19 off 17 at that stage the lower order tried best to pull it off but India fell short by 3 runs.
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