Celebrated cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle shared a painstakingly picked top ten moments from the 1990s in a list aptly named #90sNostalgia. (More Cricket News)
In a series of tweets, Bhogle remembered the moments which defined Indian cricket in the nineties.
The list started with Sachin Tendulkar, who made India debut in November 1989. About Tendulkar, he wrote: "In an India that was opening up, Sachin Tendulkar stood for what was possible."
Bhogle also mentioned Kapil Dev's record for most wickets in Test cricket, Pakistan's tour of India in 1999, that unforgettable World Cup quarter-final between India and Pakistan, match-fixing scandals, India's historic tour of South Africa in 1992-93 to welcome back the Proteas into the cricket fold after Apartheid suspension, India's poor record overseas and also the many cricket-driven advertisements.
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Impressed with the work, cricket fans thanked Bhogle with veritable tweets. Here's a look at Bhogle's top-ten moments from 1990 to 1999:
1. "The Decade of Tendulkar.The confidence.The aggression.The youthfulness.The trust. In an India that was opening up, @sachin_rt stood for what was possible. Perth, Chennai, Auckland, World Cup 96, Capetown, Sharjah, Melbourne. Sachin became part of us."
2. "The World Cup quarter-final of 1996. The most tense, the most viewed event of its times. India didn't move from the TV screen. Prasad vs Sohail,Jadeja's onslaught,Sidhu's innings,calming Kumble. The high of the QF, the shattering low of the SF."
3. "A world record for Kapil Dev. We couldn't have dreamt an Indian fast bowler would stand atop the cricket world. @therealkapildev showed the way for the next generation by making the new ball a weapon."
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4. "Pakistan tour of India in 1999. That great Chennai Test, @anilkumble1074 with the magical all ten in Delhi, full houses, tense cricket with some of the biggest names from both countries. India-Pakistan also played a lot of odi cricket in the 90s."
5. "TV rights were sold for the first time. Hero Cup was a legal battle & a cricketing event. The value in Indian cricket started getting unlocked. Professional TV prod came to India. Cricket grew beyond Doordarshan. ESPN, then Star Sports arrived."
6. "The spectre of match-fixing. Suspicion grew in our game, in whispers then more loudly, trust was injured. The second half was a low point,the darkness before the dawn. It passed too."
7. "The arrival of @anilkumble1074, #Dravid, @SGanguly99, @vvslaxman281. First glimpse of @virendersehwag. Set the scene for a lot of joy in the next decade. The formative years were wonderful to watch. Leaves were sprouting, the flowers would bloom."
8. "India's historic tour of South Africa in 1992-93. ANC wasn't yet in power, India still had no diplomatic ties, no visas, we knew little about SA cricket and life there. Was a journey into the unknown. Pathbreaking tour, cricket wasn't great."
9. "Tigers at home, lambs overseas. Won/drew every home series, lost/drew every away series except Sri Lanka 1993. Tendulkar's first away win outside Asia was 12 years after debut."
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10. "Advertisers like #Pepsi with #NothingOfficialAboutIt #YehDilMaangeMore and other slogans taking cricketers into non-cricket homes via entertainment and investing money into Indian cricket. Significant part of making Indian cricket rich."
Bhogle is one of the finest chroniclers of the gentleman's game.
