Chetan Sharma, the first Indian pacer to claim 10 wickets in a match abroad.
The second Test Match between India and Bangladesh which concluded on 27th January 2010 at Mirpur produced a rare cricketing record for India as Zaheer Khan 10 wicket haul made him only the 4thfast bowler from India to take 10 wickets in a Test Match abroad. The others who achieved the distinction prior to Zaheer Khan were Chetan Sharma in 1986, Venkatesh Prasad in 1996, Irfan Pathan in 2004 and 2005.
Chetan Sharma who on 31st October 1987 became the first ever Indian to achieve a hat trick in any form of the game when he claimed a hatrick against New Zealand in Reliance World Cup 1987, is also the first Indian to claim 10 wickets in a match abroad. In fact Chetan achieved this feat before achieving the hat trick. Chetan Sharma claimed 10 wickets in the third and final test match between India and England played at Edgbaston played during 3rd July to 8th July 1986. While rain and bad weather preventing India from winning the Test Match, Chetan Sharma's fiery spells in the earlier matches of the series enabled India to win the series 2-0 as Englishmen found Chetans pace too hot to handle. Chetan Sharma did one better than Zaheer Khan claimed 16 wickets in the 2 matches he got to play in the series. Chetan Sharma though was unfortunate that he could not play long enough for India despite the fact that he was probably India's first genuine fast bowler and one who gave consistent performances match after match and series after series against the best of sides in international cricket at that point of time. Chetans 10 wicket haul should rank one of the best as England were favourites and India the underdogs prior to start of series. Chetan Sharmaalways known for ripping through the top oder, had the distinction of taking the wickets of the likes of Graham Gooch, David Gower and Mike Gatting in the match .
Venkatesh Prasad became the second India to claim 10 wickets in a match when he took 10 wickets in the First Test Match of 3 match series involving India and South Africa played at Durban during 26th to 28th December 1996. Unlike Chetan Sharma who claimed 10 wickets on a batting beauty which produced near 400 scores in the first two innings of the Test Match, the Test Match at Durban lasted a mere 3 days. Venkatesh Prasad was literally unplayable on a treacherous pitch. Venkatesh Prasad ripped through the top order taking the wickets of Kirsten, Cullinan and Cronje. Prasads wickets also included all rounder Pollock and wicket keeper Dave Richardson who are mcuh more capable batsmen when compared to the current Bangladeshi batting line up or the line up Bangladesh ever had in their Test Career. However Venkatesh Prasads outstanding person went in vain as South Africa thrashed India by 328 runs in the match and South Africans eventually won the three Test Series 2-0.
Irftan Pathan has achieved the distinction twice, Irfans first one in the first Test of the series against Bangladesh played at Dhaka during 10th to 13th Dec 2004 while the second one came against a depleted Zimbabve in the second Test Match played at Harare during 20 to 22 September 05. However Pathan like Zaheer was very fortunate to get cheap wickets first against an eternally weak Bangladesh batting line up who averaged 20 plus in Test Cricket and their names have never been heard of in international cricket barring their skipper Habibur Bashar and Md. Ashrafull. In the second instance he got even cheaper wickets against Zimbabwe whose best known name was their skipper Taibu. Infact Irfan Pathan has a interesting Test Career. Against Bangladesh and Zimbabve Pathan has 39 wickets to his name at an average of 11.55, while against the other teams in the world Pathan averages 45.49 for his 61 wickets.
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