The mood was grim. India had finished at the wrong end of a humdinger at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium. A sense of disappointment consumed the stands.
Yet, India’s gut-wrenching 12-run defeat at the hands of Pakistan in the gripping Test of 1999 did not prevent spectators at Chepauk from according Wasim Akram’s men a standing ovation when they lapped the ground.
The scene encapsulated Chennai’s spirit. And showed the game can cut across boundaries, create bonds of friendship.
Big cricket returns to the city when India takes on South Africa in the fourth One Day International (ODI) on October 22. The sporting gathering of the city will be back to applaud good cricket from both sides.
Over the years, the Chennai crowd has earned the reputation of being a knowledgeable and respected one; it appreciates the game’s subtle nuances.
Although Chepauk has a glorious history in Tests – India registered its first Test victory here by defeating England by an innings and eight runs in 1952 – it was only in 1987 that this iconic venue staged its maiden ODI.
That was a heart-stopping duel where Australia snatched a last-gasp one-run win over India in a league match of the 1987 World Cup.
Over the years, Chepauk has been witness to some extraordinary spin bowling from Vinoo Mandad, Bishen Singh Bedi, Erapalli Prasanna, Bhagwat Chandrasekar and S. Venkatraghavan. The 60s and the 70s were the halcyon days of Indian spin.
In pace, none was more menacing than Andy Roberts at his peak. The hostile West Indian bowled with speed and bounce, movement and craft in spells that probed every aspect of batsmanship in the Chepauk Test of ‘75.
However, the little Gundappa Viswanath conjured an ethereal 97 not out, with a blend of strong will and delicate strokeplay. That match-winning gem – light on feet and brave of heart, Viswanath innovated and created – remains a Chepauk classic.
The M.A. Chidambaram Stadium has also been a rewarding venue for another little master Sunil Gavaskar who went past Don Bradman’s record of 29 centuries with his unbeaten 236 in the Test against West Indies in 1983.
All-round giant Kapil Dev was a key player in the sensational tie at Chepauk in ‘86. For Indian pacemen, Kapil was a path-finder.
In the following years, the dreaded spin combination of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh spun out line-ups at Chepauk. And Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag and V.V.S Laxman have left crowds enthralled with their contrasting methods.
Sachin Tendulkar’s unbeaten 103 of focus, belief and precise stroke-play in India’s successful chase of 387 is among the high points of Indian cricket. The maestro’s Test record in Chepauk is stunning – 970 runs in 10 matches at 88.18.
In the modern era, M.S. Dhoni’s game-changing 224 on a surface offering turn against Australia in 2013 was an explosive effort. In the same Test, local boy off-spinner R. Ashwin prised out 12 batsmen to leave his footprints on his home ground.
Back to ODIs. When Pakistan’s Saeed Anwar raced to a then world record ODI innings of 194 against India in 1997, he received a standing ovation from the Chepauk crowd. The spectators here comprehend the essence of sport.
Chennai's Chepauk in numbers:
Crowd capacity: 36,000 and available capacity: 24,000
Stands I, J and K have not received clearances so far
ODIs:
Highest total: Asia XI, 337/7
Highest score: Saeed Anwar (Pakistan) 194
Most runs: M.S. Dhoni 307
Best bowling: Ravi Rampaul (West Indies) 5 for 51
Most wickets: M. Rafique (Bangladesh) 8
Tests:
Highest total: England 652/7 decl.
Highest individual score: V. Sehwag 319
Best bowling in an innings: Vinoo Mankad 8/55
Most wickets: Anil Kumble 48
Most runs: S.M. Gavaskar 1018
