Any Indian cricketer is always keen to make his mark against Pakistan at the international level because performances against Pakistan give you the superstar status overnight. People might forget your performances against other countries, but if you put on a match winning performance against Pakistan, it is unlikely to be forgotten for a long time.
However, sometimes the pressure of the India-Pakistan games gets the better of the players as well. Here are the 5 Indian stars who have scored golden duck against Pakistan:
#1 Sunil Gavaskar (1987):
Sunil Gavaskar was approaching the twilight of his career in the late eighties, but he was still pretty efficient at the top of the order for India.
However, the former Pakistan captain Imran Khan sent Gavaskar back to the pavilion on the very first ball of the game in the third Test match of the 5-match Test series between India and Pakistan in 1987.
This match was played in Jaipur and Gavaskar was caught by Javed Miandad off the bowling of Imran.
#2 Sachin Tendulkar (1999):
Sachin Tendulkar dominated Shoaib Akhtar for most parts of his career, but on this one occasion, Akhtar got the better of the master blaster as he cleaned him up in a Test match at Eden Gardens.
It was an in-swinging delivery from Akhtar at pace. Tendulkar, although he tried to cover the line of the ball, couldn’t get the bat down in time and the furniture was disturbed behind him.
#3 Rahul Dravid (1999):
This was the final match of Coca Cola Cup which was played at Sharjah. Rahul Dravid batted at no. 3 for India in that game and was trapped in front of the stumps on the very first ball he faced by Wasim Akram.
The whole Indian team was bundled out for just 125 runs as Pakistan easily chased down the target and lifted the trophy.
#4 Virender Sehwag (2004):
This was the third Test match of the 3-match Test series between India and Pakistan in 2003-04. Sehwag had already scored a triple hundred in the series and was in tremendous form coming into this game.
But, he was dismissed by Shoaib Akhtar on the very first ball of the Indian innings as he was caught by the Pakistani opening batsman Yasir Hameed. India, however, won the game eventually, courtesy a double hundred by Rahul Dravid.
#5 Yuvraj Singh (2011):
Yuvraj Singh had played a match winning knock of 57 in the quarter final against Australia and was expected to score big against Pakistan as well, as he had been batting really well right through that tournament.
However, Wahab Riaz clean bowled Yuvraj with a reverse-swinging full-toss. It swung really late and Yuvraj was totally unable to cover the swing of the ball. India, however, beat Pakistan in the semi-final and thereafter, went on to win the World Cup as well.
