'Best game of my career'

Mumbai: The 1986 Madras Test between India and Australia went down in the history books as only the second tied Test match in history (Scorecard) and it ignited the rivalry between India and Australia, which is today one of the greatest, if not the greatest in the game. 

We spoke to two figures from that historical Test match to give us their inputs - left-arm orthodox spinner Maninder Singh who bowled a sum total of 58 overs in that Test match amidst the hot and humid conditions at the Chepauk Stadium. The other, was the hero of that Test match, the double centurion – Dean Jones.

"It was undoubtedly the most competitive game of cricket that I had ever played. It was even more exhilarating because the two captains – Kapil Dev and Allan Border – led from the front. Both Kapil and Border wanted a result in that match, no matter what," Maninder told cricketnirvana.com

"Before they came to India, we were tipped as the favourites since they did not have a very good track record in India. They may not have had the ideal attack to get 20 wickets on Indian pitches but they possessed the killer instinct to emerge victorious."

© Getty Images Maninder Singh was taken aback by a young Dean Jones who took the spinners apart on his very first tour of India

Jones, playing in just the third Test match of his career, played what was perhaps the best knock of his career according to Maninder. "We were taken aback when we saw this young guy Dean Jones walk out to the middle, with his aggressive mind-set, stepping down the pitch to the spinners and commanding the game. It was the greatest knock I have ever seen in my life as a cricketer. He was so nimble footed and such a fit man – it was a pleasure to watch him bat," opined Maninder.

The flamboyant Australian batsman Jones' affection with India started during the 1986 tour. The herculean double century effort took a massive toll on him as he ran out of steam because of dehydration. Jones spent the entire weekend in the hospital and was on saline drips.

"I lost seven kilos in a day and that particular Test match started my love affair with India. I loved the fact that Indian people were so worried about my health and well-being. I felt like the public put their arms around me and that is what helped me recuperate. I love coming to India all the time because of these reasons – I feel loved here," Jones recalled

India were set an almost impossible target of 348 runs on the last day of the Test match on a pitch that was crumbling quickly. The Australians had off-spinner Craig Matthews and left-arm spinner Raymond Bright in their ranks. It was a difficult task…

"We have to credit Kapil for his positive approach towards the run-chase. He told us in the dressing room prior to the last day that no matter what we would go after the victory because there were no real demons on the pitch It was incredible that even till the end Ravi Shastri played aggressively and we were oh so close to victory. Sadly thought, it was not to be," summed up Maninder.