Which is the biggest upset in Test cricket in 2024? No minnow has shocked a major Test-playing nation at home so far in the calendar year. On the other hand, there have been 13 away victories but only four of them really qualify as an upset – The Gabba, The Oval, Rawalpindi (both matches) and Bengaluru. (More Cricket News)
Was West Indies’ sensational eight-run win in Brisbane the biggest shock of the year? Or was it New Zealand’s first Test win in India in over 35 years! There are some other contenders too. What about Bangladesh’s twin victories in Rawalpindi? And then there was Sri Lanka’s triumph against Bazball England at The Oval.
We analyse these four matches and explore the biggest upset of the year in Test cricket.
1. West Indies beat Australia by 8 runs, The Gabba, Brisbane
This was a classic David vs Goliath encounter and unarguably the biggest upset of the year in Test cricket! Australia were the number-one-ranked Test team in January. In contrast, West Indies had struggled in the format and could barely assemble an XI together.
They were inexperienced and lacked pedigree as most of their superstars only played white-ball cricket. Moreover, West Indies had not defeated Australia in a Test since the famous 418-run chase at St Johns in Antigua in 2003.
West Indies had the worst win-loss ratio of 0.533 amongst the top eight Test-playing nations since 2020 and were reduced to a minnow in red-ball cricket since the new millennium. They had not registered a Test victory Down Under since the win at the W.A.C.A in 1997!
West Indies had suffered defeat in 15 of the 17 Tests thereafter in Australia which included four losses by an innings and three each by margins of over 350 runs and seven or more wickets. Australia had clean-swept four of the six series against them at home since 2000. The Gabba was their bastion where they had lost just one encounter in the last 35 years!
Despite all the odds and adversities and punters betting against them, West Indies uprooted a fancied Australian side in its own fortress and came out victorious by eight runs in a thriller at The Gabba.
While new heroes emerged with the bat – the likes of Kavem Hodge, Joshua Da Silva and debutant, Kevin Sinclair, it was really Shamar Jospeh who cranked it up for West Indies and was their star of the match. Joseph returned with 7-68 in 11.5 overs in the fourth innings and initiated an Australian collapse where they capitulated from 113 for 2 to 207 all-out.
2. New Zealand beat India by eight wickets, Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
India were almost invincible at home. This Indian outfit had the greatest record in home conditions for any team in any era in Test cricket history! No team had a better record in their own backyard than India in the last 12 years! India in India under Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma was stronger than the great Australian teams of the late 1990s and 2000s Down Under under Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting and the mighty West Indian team of Clive Lloyd in the Caribbean in the 1970s and 80s.
New Zealand did not boast of a great record in India. They had beaten India in India on just two occasions, the last of which happened way back in 1988! India had won the four previous home series against New Zealand, which included two clean sweeps.
New Zealand had lost two Tests by an innings, two by margins of over 300 runs and two more by margins of between 175 and 200 runs in their last eight encounters in the country! To add to their woes, they were without their captain, best batter and unarguably the greatest one of all-time – Kane Williamson.
New Zealand made the most of the overcast conditions, a helpful pitch and a bad call at the toss by Rohit Sharma as the trio of Matt Henry, Tim Southee and William O’Rourke routed India for a paltry 46 – their lowest team total in India!
Rachin Ravindra led the way with the bat and hammered a brilliant ton giving New Zealand a massive 356-run lead. India did stage a fightback in the second innings but again collapsed against the second new ball losing eight wickets for their last 54 runs. New Zealand chased down the 107-run target and romped home to a famous win by eight wickets.
3. Bangladesh defeat Pakistan by 10 wickets in Rawalpindi &
Bangladesh defeat Pakistan by 6 wickets in Rawalpindi
This was Bangladesh’s biggest win against a Test playing nation in their cricketing history. A series win against Pakistan in Pakistan is no mean feat!
It was only the third away series win for them in 35 series – Bangladesh had defeated West Indies in the Caribbean in 2009 and then beaten a low-ranked Zimbabwe in 2021.
Mushfiqur Rahim hammered a brilliant 191 in the series opener which helped Bangladesh overtake the home team’s total of 448. Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz then bagged seven wickets between them and triggered a Pakistani collapse in the second innings which paved way for a big win for the visitors. It was Bangladesh’s first ever Test win against Pakistan in 14 meetings.
Mehidy Hasan was again the hero with the ball in the second Test. His five-wicket haul in the first innings helped Bangladesh restrict Pakistan to 274. Litton Das then showcased his class and lifted Bangladesh from the doldrums (26 for 6) to a total of 262. Pakistan crumbled against pace in the second innings and folded for 172. Bangladesh chased down the 185-run target with six wickets in hand.
4. Sri Lanka beat England by 8 wickets, The Oval, London
Sri Lanka had won just three Tests in England. They were up against a rampaging English unit who had redefined batting in Test cricket in the last couple of years through their ultra-aggressive approach, popularly known as ‘BAZBALL’! With wins at Old Trafford and Lord’s, England had already wrapped up the three-match series.
They had the upper hand at The Oval too taking a valuable 50-plus lead in the first innings. However, Sri Lanka showed grit and fight and routed England for 156 in the second innings. Lahiru Kumara and Vishwa Fernando were the stars with the ball and bagged seven wickets between them.
However, no sub-continent team had chased a 200-plus target successfully in England. Cometh the hour, cometh the man! Pathum Nissanka displayed his class and smashed one of the finest tons by a subcontinent batter in England with hisunbeaten match-winning 127 off just 124 deliveries taking Sri Lanka to a memorable eight-wicket win.
