When it comes to braving dust bowls, unless you are patient and willing to play on the backfoot, Test cricket becomes an obvious challenge. Not every batter knows the art of braving turn and even for the ones who do know how to play on a rank turner, life is often challenging. Back in 2020-21, when England toured India, the surfaces never really looked like that the batters could breathe easy.

It was challenging to say the least, more importantly, trying to connect with the ball became a nightmare for the batters. But then there are always a few heroes who shine the brightest when the light gets dim. When the hope starts thinning out, the heroes emerge. Similarly, in the Anthony de Mello Trophy 2020-21, Team India had a few heroes of their own with the bat. As Rohit Sharma and his men brace themselves for another stern challenge, here are the top three knocks for India from England’s last visit to the sub-continent.

Rohit Sharma – 161

After losing out the first Test, it was Rohit Sharma who came out firing on all cylinders in the second Test. Rohit smashed 161 runs from 231 balls, in the process hitting 18 fours and two sixes, spearheading the Indian batting charge with almost 50 percent of the runs scored alone. In that innings, such was the plight for the Indian batters that only Ajinkya Rahane and Rishabh Pant got decent figures, highlighting Rohit’s performance with the bat. 

Rishabh Pant – 101

The hero of Gabba arrived in Ahmedabad in 2021 and how! When the other batters could barely meet the ball with bat, the southpaw kept on whacking the bowlers. Rocking a blistering ton on another rank turner, Pant clubbed 13 fours and two sixes. He stitched a crucial partnership with Washington Sundar as the duo added 113 runs for the sixth wicket. This particular stand and this impeccable knock from the wicket-keeper still goes down as one of the symbols of late defiance in the ongoing decade of cricket.

Ravichandran Ashwin – 106

Ash wasn’t just impressive with the ball in the series but his all-round contributions helped India significantly. It was the second Test going on and the Indian batters had a tough time in the second innings. As Jack Leach and Moeen Ali spat venom from both ends, Ashwin came out fighting and stood tall as the pillar of defiance. Playing alongside Virat Kohli for a 96-runs stand to battling with the tail, it was Ashwin’s glittering century that propelled India to 286, posting a monumental target of 482 runs in the 2nd Test in Chennai.