Naman Dir breaks Yuvaraj Singh's 19-year record in India vs West Indies match

In the four T20 matches of the series between India and West Indies, which concluded on Wednesday (October 14) with India losing by 24 runs and the series tied at 2-2, the fifth and decisive match will take place in Bangalore on Saturday (October 17). This match will determine the winner of the series.

However, throughout the first four encounters of this T20 series between India and West Indies, Vaibha Suryavanshi was not in the starting lineup, although he was often present with the team during water breaks. This raised several questions regarding the reasons for his absence from the squad. He is likely to be on the bench again in the fifth T20 in Bangalore.

Vaibha's international career began on July 4, 2026, in Manchester against England in a T20, although he had previously participated in the tour of Ireland but did not receive playing time. To date, Vaibha has played 8 T20 matches, scoring 246 runs at an average of 30.75.

However, one statistic emerged: under Gautam Gambhir's leadership, Vaibha was given less playing time than when VVS Laxman served as the head coach of the Indian team.

Vaibha was first selected for the tour of Ireland, where two matches were held, both lost by the Indian team, but he did not play. His debut occurred in the second match of the five-match series on the tour of England. England won this series 4-0, and the first T20 in Chester-Le-Street was a draw.

During the tour of England, Vaibha played in three T20 matches in Manchester, Nottingham, and Bristol, scoring 42 runs at an average of 14. His strike rate was 168.

Next followed the tour of Zimbabwe, where Sandeep Samson was not part of the squad. Consequently, Vaibha was given the opportunity to start alongside Abhishek Sharma. In this series, Vaibha made a splash, becoming the 'Player of the Series' and scoring 151 runs in three matches at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 196.10. It is worth noting that for this tour in July 202, former Indian player VVS Laxman was appointed as the head coach of the Indian team.

This was followed by a three-match T20 series at home against Afghanistan, in which Vaibha Suryavanshi did not participate in any match. Then came a T20 international match against Japan, where Vaibha also did not play, and VVS Laxman was the head coach then.

Subsequently, the Asian Games 2026 took place, where the quarter-final against Afghanistan was cancelled. After this, India defeated Sri Lanka and then Pakistan in the semi-finals and final, winning the gold medal. Against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, Vaibha played, scoring 38 and 15 runs respectively.

Thus, since Vaibha was included in the Indian squad, the team has played 21 matches. Gautam Gambhir acted as coach in 14 matches, while VVS Laxman coached in 7 matches. Including the T20 in Bangalore on Saturday, the total number of T20s in which Vaibha will be in the squad will reach 22.

In the fourth T20 match between India and West Indies, held in Hyderabad, Caribbean captain Shai Hope made a splash with his powerful batting. On the last ball before reaching a century, he was aided by a serious error from Indian fielder Tilak Verma, which served as a lifeline and allowed him to complete the hundred.

On the final ball, Shai Hope had scored 96 runs and deflected a strong shot sideways. The ball flew directly towards Tilak Verma, who was positioned at long-on. It could have been an easy catch, but due to the bright stadium lighting, Tilak Verma did not see the ball and could not judge it correctly. The ball went over his hands and crossed the boundary line, becoming a six.

Taking advantage of this reprieve, Shai Hope completed his magnificent century. Immediately after the ball slipped from his hands, Indian vice-captain Tilak Verma gestured that he had not noticed the ball due to the floodlight. Nevertheless, this small blunder proved very costly for the Indian team, as this sixth run helped Hope score his fourth century in the series as captain of the West Indies.

There are matches in the history of Test cricket that are remembered for many years. One such event was the historic innings played by former Australian opener Matthew Hayden.

Twenty-three years ago, on October 10th, in the Perth Test against Zimbabwe, Hayden caused a sensation by scoring 380 runs. This incredible performance allowed him to break Brian Lara's record for the highest score in the history of Test cricket.

In this landmark innings, Hayden hit 38 fours and 11 sixes. He spent about ten hours at the crease, demonstrating powerful batting against the Zimbabwean bowlers. His shots, which included magnificent cut shots, straight drives, and powerful pull shots, were so impressive that the bowlers could not find a way to stop him.

When Matthew Hayden walked onto the field in this confrontation, hardly anyone could have imagined that he would enter the golden annals of Test cricket. After scoring 183 not out runs on the second day, Hayden continued his aggressive style the next day and soon surpassed the 300-run mark.

According to data, Hayden scored 380 runs off 437 balls, hitting 38 fours and 11 sixes. One Zimbabwean player described this innings as: 'It felt like he was hitting the barn door!'

Prior to this, the record for the highest score in Test cricket belonged to the legendary West Indian batsman, Brian Lara. Lara reached 375 runs against England in 1994. Hayden set a new record by scoring 380 runs off 437 balls.

Australia achieved a significant victory in this match. Zimbabwe, having won the toss, chose to bat first. Australia posted a substantial total of 735/6d in the first innings. Australian captain Steve Waugh (78) and Damien Martyn (53) both scored half-centuries.

For Zimbabwe, Sean Ervine took the most wickets, claiming 4. Zimbabwe's reply finished at 239 runs. In the second innings, Australia also dismissed Zimbabwe for 321 runs. Australia secured this historic victory by one innings and 175 runs.

In this momentous match, Australian batsman and wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist also displayed excellent play. He scored a hundred runs off just 84 balls, further strengthening the Australian innings. Nevertheless, Gilchrist's innings looked pale compared to Hayden's 380 runs. Matthew Hayden was named 'Player of the Match' for his stunning performance.

After Hayden set the record, Brian Lara himself called him to congratulate him. However, Hayden's record did not last long. Approximately six months later, in April 2004, Lara broke the record for the highest score in Test cricket again, scoring 400* not out against England. Hayden's 380-run innings is still considered one of the most unforgettable in the history of Test cricket.