Anshuman Gaekwad’s top 3 performances in Test cricket

Anshuman Gaekwad is a former India opening batsman, national selector and two-time coach of the Indian cricket team. The Mumbai cricketer was known for his defensive play, especially against the fast bowlers. In a career that spanned over a decade, the right-hander has represented India in 40 Tests and 15 ODIs. 

He has scored 1985 runs in the longer format of the game at an average of almost 30, including two hundreds, one double century and 10 half-centuries. On a special day of ‘The Great Wall‘, let’s take a look at his best knocks in the longer format of the game. 

Here are Anshuman Gaekwad’s top 3 performances in Test cricket 

3. 87 vs West Indies, Bengaluru, 1978

In the second Test of the 1978 series, West Indies opted to bat first and they amassed 437 on the back of four half-centuries from their top and middle-order batters. Anushman Gaekwad bowled just one over, which went wicketless. However, he made a significant impact with the bat, scoring 87 runs. India managed to score 371 runs in reply and invited the visitors to bat in the second innings. The match, however, ended in a draw, with Windies ending the final day at 200/8. 

2. 80 vs West Indies, Chennai, 1975

Gaekwad’s second-best Test knock also came against the West Indies. Opting to bat first in the fourth match of the 1975 series, India could manage only 190 runs, Barring Gundappa Viswannath’s 97, none of the other batters performed up to the mark. In the second inning, the hosts responded much better, scoring 256. Batting in the middle order, Gaekwad slammed a brilliant 80 before getting run out. Chasing a target of 255, West Indies were bundled out for 154 and India clinched a 100-run victory in Chennai. 

1. 201 vs Pakistan, Jalandhar, 1983 

Gaekwad registered his only double century and highest score during the second Test of the 1983 series against Pakistan. Riding on the right-hander’s stellar 201, India scored 374 in response to Pakistan’s first-innings score of 337. Batting as an opener, Gaekwad took 671 minutes to accumulate these many runs. It was the then-slowest double-century in first-class cricket. The second innings lasted just nine overs with Pakistan batting at 16/0 and the match ended in a draw.