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| Zaheer Khan |
1978
Birth of Zaheer Khan, who, aged 22, announced his arrival at the international level in the 2000 ICC Champions Trophy with two full, inswinging deliveries that did for Steve Waugh and Daryll Cullinan. Zaheer was immediately thrust into Test cricket as partner and understudy to Javagal Srinath. He struggled during his first 20 Tests, taking 54 wickets at 40 apiece, and was even dropped briefly after India's tour to South Africa in 2001. In 2002-03, after Srinath retired, Zaheer came into his own, reversing the old and new ball skilfully. He took consecutive five-wicket hauls in New Zealand and followed that up with a fine 2003 World Cup - bar the final. A hamstring injury saw him relegated to bit-part performer as Indian cricket scripted some of its finest moments away but he forced his way back after a very successful season for Worcestershire in 2006. His crowning moment was helping India win their fifth Test on English soil, in 2007. He is second only to Kapil Dev on the list of Indian fast bowlers. Expected to star in India's defence of their No. 1 Test ranking during the 2011 tour of England, Zaheer pulled a hamstring on the first day of the series and India failed to win a single international match on the trip.
2004Birth of Zaheer Khan, who, aged 22, announced his arrival at the international level in the 2000 ICC Champions Trophy with two full, inswinging deliveries that did for Steve Waugh and Daryll Cullinan. Zaheer was immediately thrust into Test cricket as partner and understudy to Javagal Srinath. He struggled during his first 20 Tests, taking 54 wickets at 40 apiece, and was even dropped briefly after India's tour to South Africa in 2001. In 2002-03, after Srinath retired, Zaheer came into his own, reversing the old and new ball skilfully. He took consecutive five-wicket hauls in New Zealand and followed that up with a fine 2003 World Cup - bar the final. A hamstring injury saw him relegated to bit-part performer as Indian cricket scripted some of its finest moments away but he forced his way back after a very successful season for Worcestershire in 2006. His crowning moment was helping India win their fifth Test on English soil, in 2007. He is second only to Kapil Dev on the list of Indian fast bowlers. Expected to star in India's defence of their No. 1 Test ranking during the 2011 tour of England, Zaheer pulled a hamstring on the first day of the series and India failed to win a single international match on the trip.
Michael Clarke scored a glittering debut hundred on this day against India in the first Test in Bangalore. He even got to wear his baggy green cap at the big moment. Not that he was distracted - he was finally out for 151 and Australia were on their way to a 1-0 lead in the four-match series.
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| Salman Butt |
Before he ruined his career through his involvement in spot-fixing in 2010, Salman Butt, born on this day, was a talented batsman who made an impression with a match-winning century against India at Eden Gardens in 2004. When he followed it up with a fifty and a century in the Test series in Australia, it appeared Pakistan had found a long-term opener. He was often compared with Saeed Anwar for his style of play, however, Butt struggled to remain consistent, averaging less than 30 between January 2006 and July 2009. After Pakistan's disastrous tour of Australia in 2009-10, many senior players were suspended and Butt was made vice-captain. On the subsequent England tour, he had to take over as captain after Shahid Afridi stepped down. Butt led Pakistan to a Test win over Australia in Headingley and then against England at The Oval. However, things turned very sour towards the end of the tour, when he was banned by the ICC following a newspaper expose that alleged that he, along with Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, was involved in spot-fixing in the Lord's Test.
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| Dwayne Bravo |
West Indies didn't win the first 23 Tests he played, but the contribution of allrounder Dwayne Bravo, who was born today, has been greater than that stat reveals. Bustling with energy, he has provided that rare bright spark in a largely unsuccessful team. A key contributor with bat, ball and in the field, Bravo finally tasted Test success when West Indies upset South Africa in the Boxing Day Test of 2007. He led the team in the final game of that series, which an injury-depleted West Indies lost. His all-round abilities make him an asset in limited-overs games, and it was Bravo's slower deliveries that brought India's successful ODI streak, under Rahul Dravid and Greg Chappell, to a grinding halt in 2006. In 2010, after having turned down a place in the West Indies A squad to tour England in favour of playing Twenty20 for Somerset, Bravo rejected an US$80,000 West Indies board contract to be able to play as a freelancer.
1979
In Kanpur, Geoff Dymock became the third bowler and the first Australian to dismiss all 11 batsmen in a Test when he bowled Dilip Doshi. But his heroic performance - his match figures of 12 for 168 were his best in Tests - could not stop India winning by 153 runs. Australia needed 279 to win but collapsed dismally, with Kapil Dev and Shival Yadav each taking four wickets.
1964
An unlikely turnaround gave Australia their third consecutive Test victory in Madras. India had taken a first-innings lead of 65, but after Australia set them 333 to win, the home side fell apart. They were 0 for 2 and then 24 for 4, and despite a defiant 94 from Hanumant Singh, Australia breezed home by 139 runs. Their star was that gentle giant Graham McKenzie, who returned match figures of 10 for 91
