He scored a triple century after which two double lots of in a single Duleep Trophy season. In a World Cup match, his bowling spell lasted one ball and produced a wicket. Years later, he would top-score for India within the nation’s first-ever Twenty20 worldwide. But the identical cricketer completed with greater than 8,000 first-class runs at a median of practically 49 with out ever taking part in a Take a look at.
Lengthy earlier than his worldwide profession started, the left-hander had constructed the kind of home document selectors normally can not ignore. In November 2000, he hammered an unbeaten 308 for Punjab in opposition to Jammu and Kashmir, going through 409 balls. A couple of months later, representing North Zone within the Duleep Trophy, he made 201 in opposition to South Zone and 208 in opposition to Central Zone. He completed that competitors because the main run-scorer with 532 runs at 88.67.
His worldwide profession would finally include moments that have been virtually too neat to script. One got here on the 2003 World Cup. With New Zealand 9 wickets down at 146, Sourav Ganguly tossed the ball to his part-time left-arm spinner. Daryl Tuffey drove the primary supply again in the direction of the bowler and was caught. Figures: 0.1 overs, no runs, one wicket. His complete bowling contribution that afternoon had lasted exactly one ball.
The cricketer was Dinesh Mongia, a reputation remembered principally as a supporting character from an Indian facet crammed with a lot larger stars. However look intently on the numbers and incidents scattered throughout his profession, and Mongia emerges as one of many extra uncommon Indian internationals of his era.
Mongia made his ODI debut in opposition to Australia in Pune in March 2001 after his mountain of home runs. His most memorable 12 months for India got here in 2002, and one among its strangest episodes started not with Mongia however with Douglas Marillier. Within the first ODI in opposition to Zimbabwe at Faridabad, India appeared to have the match beneath management after decreasing the guests to 210 for eight whereas defending 274. Marillier, batting at No.10, then produced the innings that might develop into inseparable from his identify. He repeatedly moved throughout his stumps and scooped India’s quick bowlers over and behind the wicketkeeper, racing to an unbeaten 56 from solely 24 balls as Zimbabwe pulled off a exceptional one-wicket victory.
Three days later, at Mohali, India have been confronted by Marillier once more. Mongia had already made 45 on the prime as India piled up 319 for six when Ganguly later turned to his part-time left-arm spin throughout Zimbabwe’s chase. Mongia eliminated Andy Flower for 29 earlier than Marillier arrived, carrying the fame created by his extraordinary Faridabad assault.
This time, Marillier made solely two. Attempting to brush Mongia, he top-edged the ball and was caught by Ajay Ratra. Mongia then bowled Craig Wishart and completed with three for 31 from six overs, figures that might stay the very best of his ODI profession. India gained by 64 runs. The person who had tormented India three days earlier had been stopped by a batter whose bowling was normally little greater than an extra choice.
9 days later, Mongia produced the innings that might outline his worldwide batting profession. Within the deciding fifth ODI at Guwahati, he opened the innings and carried his bat for an unbeaten 159 from 147 balls, hitting 17 fours and a six. India reached 333 for six and gained by 101 runs to take the collection 3-2. Mongia was named each Participant of the Match and Participant of the Sequence. Remarkably, the 159 remained the one century of his 57-match ODI profession.
That 159* additionally left Mongia with a document that makes his profession much more uncommon. No Indian who has by no means performed Take a look at cricket has made a better rating in an ODI. For a batter who would finally end with greater than 8,000 first-class runs at a median of practically 49, it’s a hanging distinction: his biggest worldwide innings stays unmatched amongst India’s non-Take a look at gamers. The knock additionally turned the best ODI rating at Guwahati’s outdated Nehru Stadium, whereas his unbeaten 308 for Punjab in opposition to Jammu and Kashmir stays the state’s highest particular person rating in Ranji Trophy cricket. On the time, the 159* was additionally the best ODI rating by a left-hander in opposition to Zimbabwe, briefly placing Mongia in territory occupied by among the greatest names of his period.
A World Cup place forward of VVS Laxman
The next 12 months introduced maybe the largest choice name related to Mongia’s profession. India left VVS Laxman out of their 15-member squad for the 2003 World Cup and chosen Mongia as an alternative. The choice turned one of many main speaking factors across the squad, with Mongia providing India the potential for runs in addition to helpful left-arm spin.
Mongia went on to play all 11 of India’s matches as Sourav Ganguly‘s workforce reached the ultimate. His batting returns have been modest — 120 runs from six innings at a median of 20, with a highest rating of 42 — however he additionally contributed 5 wickets. In opposition to New Zealand within the Tremendous Six stage got here that splendidly odd one-ball spell, Tuffey’s dismissal closing the innings at 146 earlier than India chased the goal with seven wickets remaining.
One more historic footnote was nonetheless to come back. On December 1, 2006, India performed their first Twenty20 worldwide, in opposition to South Africa in Johannesburg. Sachin Tendulkar was taking part in what would show to be his solely T20I, MS Dhoni was dismissed for a duck and India have been chasing 127. Mongia made 38 from 45 balls, the best rating of India’s innings, earlier than Dinesh Karthik completed the chase.
India gained by six wickets with one ball remaining. Mongia, regardless of top-scoring for India within the nation’s first T20I, by no means performed one other worldwide within the format. One match, 38 runs and a everlasting little place in Indian cricket historical past.
Additionally Learn: Triple century, a gift from Tendulkar and two records that still stand 25 years later: One of India’s strangest careers
His ODI profession led to 2007 with 1,230 runs at 27.95, one century and 4 fifties, together with 14 wickets. These numbers don’t instantly counsel a unprecedented profession. His first-class document tells a really completely different story: 8,028 runs from 121 matches at 48.95, with 27 centuries and 28 fifties. His highest rating remained that unbeaten 308. But the Take a look at cap by no means arrived.
Mongia later joined the Indian Cricket League and finally introduced his retirement from all types of cricket in 2019, 12 years after his ultimate ODI for India. It closed a profession stuffed with contradictions: a prolific first-class batter who by no means performed a Take a look at, a World Cup common whose most memorable bowling spell lasted one supply, and India’s prime scorer in a historic T20I who was by no means picked for an additional. For a participant whose worldwide document can simply be handed over whereas scanning an inventory of numbers, Dinesh Mongia left behind an unusually wealthy assortment of cricketing trivia — a few of it stranger than careers way more celebrated than his personal.
