Kamal Ghorui
The fourth Test of the 2002 series between India and West Indies, played at Antigua, is widely remembered for Anil Kumble’s display of courage. In the second innings, Kumble bowled with a broken jaw, his face strapped with bandages, after being hit earlier in the match. That image remains one of cricket’s most inspiring sight.“It was one of the bravest things I’ve seen on the field of play,” Viv Richards later said.However, the Antigua Test is recalled for reasons beyond Kumble’s injury and resolve. The Test is remembered for more than that moment alone.On May 14, 2002, during West Indies’ first innings, wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra bowled the 247th over to Shivnarine Chanderpaul. That created a rare record — it marked the only instance in Test cricket where all eleven players from India bowled in a single innings. India became just the third team to use all 11 players as bowlers in an innings.The match ended in a draw. It was played at the Antigua Recreation Ground in St John’s from May 10 to 14, 2002. The pitch offered little help to bowlers. India scored 513 runs in 196 overs after being reduced to 257 for 6. VVS Laxman, who scored 130, and Ratra added 217 runs for the seventh wicket.West Indies won the toss and chose to field. The series was level at 1-1 heading into the fourth Test.India lost opener Shiv Sunder Das early for 3, but Wasim Jaffer and Rahul Dravid responded with a 155-run partnership for the second wicket. Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed for a first-ball duck, another rare moment. Sourav Ganguly then joined Dravid, and the pair ensured India did not lose any further wickets on the opening day.On the second morning, India lost Ganguly for 45, Dravid for 91 and Kumble for 6 in quick time. Laxman and Ratra then added an unbeaten 205 runs for the eighth wicket. Laxman was dismissed for 130 early on the third day, but Ratra went on to complete his century and added around 40 more runs with the lower order. India declared at 513 for 9 on Day 3.Ratra’s hundred made the 20-year-old the youngest wicketkeeper to score a Test century at the time. West Indies wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs also scored a century, making it the first Test in which the regular wicketkeepers from both teams reached three figures.West Indies replied with 629 for 9 in 248 overs. Captain Carl Hooper scored 136, Chanderpaul made an unbeaten 136, and Jacobs added 118. The match ended in a draw.India used all eleven players as bowlers. Javagal Srinath bowled 45 overs. Ashish Nehra and Zaheer Khan each bowled more than 40 overs. Ganguly bowled 12 overs, while Tendulkar delivered 34. Kumble bowled 14 overs despite his broken jaw and dismissed Brian Lara. Laxman bowled 17 overs and took one wicket. Dravid bowled nine overs and dismissed Jacobs. Jaffer bowled 11 overs and took two wickets. Shiv Sunder Das sent down eight overs, while Ratra bowled one over.
The match is best remembered for the guts shown by Anil Kumble as he came on to bowl with a broken jaw to dismiss West Indies great Brian Lara.“For me personally, it was a memorable Test. It was great feeling to score Test hundred on foreign soil. When I went to the middle, there was blood spread at the crease when Anil Kumble was hit by a Merv Dhillon bouncer. I was bit nervous but eventually grew in confidence in company of Laxman. The wicket still had something in it but later on it went on become flatter. I never thought I would bowl in a Test match. (laughs) I still tell people that I bowled in a Test match for India,” ex-india wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra told TOI in 2016.
