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5 times when a bowler was the best batter in the team

There are many times when bowlers come to save the day with the bat, there are some other times when they become the best batter.

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Yuzvendra Chahal

Yuzvendra Chahal: (Image Source: Twitter)

Cricket is an incredibly unpredictable game. From teams notching 400-plus scores to getting bundled out for as low as 35 runs, cricket fans have seen it all. There are times when you just just wonder, "how did that happen'? 

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In this article, we are going to look at five occasions when a bowler became the best batter for the team and left fans scratching their heads. 

1. Yuzvendra Chahal vs New Zealand, 2019

Chahal batting

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The Haryana-born wrist spinner is known for shattering batters' stumps by luring them out of their crease. A true gentleman of the game, Yuzvendra Chahal is often seen sharing jokes with opponents. Bowling and sportsman spirit are two things the 31-year-old excels at. However, he isn't known for his batting exploits. On one occasion, though, he impressed one and all with his batting against New Zealand in the fourth ODI in 2019. 

He came out to bat at 55-8 in the fourth match of an already lost ODI series against New Zealand in 2019. The Indian fielders were getting ready to take to the field. Chahal however had something else in mind and wasn't willing to give away his wicket easily. By the time, his batting partner got out the team had already reached 92 and Chahal emerged as the best batter with a score of 18. 

2. Aston Agar vs England, 2013

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Aston Agar

In Tests, bowlers are also expected to contribute some runs to the total, but no when expects them to be the top scorers of the team. Something completely opposite happened during the 2013 Ashes series. 

Coming to bat at 117-9, the debutant Ashton Agar scored an unbelievable 98 to save the game for the Aussies. In the process, he also became the best batter for the team at the behest of everyone's bewilderment. To this day, this remains the third-highest score by a debutant coming at No 10 and he missed the opportunity to join Abdul Hasan and Reggie Duff in the list of No 10s with a century on debut by just two runs. 

3. Nathan Coulter-Nile vs West Indies, 2019

Nathan Coulter Nile

The second Australian on the list, Nathan Coulter-Nile played a similar cameo for his team. Coming in to bat at number six, the bowling allrounder was under massive pressure as the score read 147-6. Playing against the West Indies who had reduced Pakistan to a total near 100 in the previous match, people would have expected very little of the right-arm bowler. 

In what came as surprise to many, the Aussie batter played a match-defining 92 off just 60 balls. Australia who were once struggling at one point ended the game with a solid total of 288. The bowling all-rounder became the best batter, scoring more than Steve Smith(73). 

4. Deepak Chahar vs Sri Lanka, 2021

Chahar batting

The most recent knock on this list came from Deepak Chahar in 2021. It came during India's tour of Sri Lanka. India had won their first ODI and were looking to win the series in the second match. In pursuit of a 277-run target, the Indian batting unit didn't live up to the expectations. With a score of 177-7, things weren't looking very bright when the right-arm pacer, Deepak Chahar stepped in. 

However, with a score of 69, he changed the course of the game and helped India reach home. In doing so, he also became the highest run-getter for the team in that game. 

5. Harbhajan Singh vs New Zealand, 2010

Harbhajan Singh

India's veteran spinner, Harbhajan Singh also finds himself on the list. Harbhajan Singh played a terrific knock in 2010 during India's tour of New Zealand for a 2-match Test series. Both teams made over 450 runs in their first innings and the pitch started to degrade on the fourth day. In the third innings, India were biting their nails at 65-6. New Zealand, at that stage, were looking to wrap up the Indian batting lineup for a measly total and started to bowl even more aggressively.

That's when the Jalandhar-born off-spinner came into bat and changed the course of the game. Along with VVS Laxman, the Turbanator steadied the ship and saw off the Kiwis. The off-spinner ended the match with 115 runs, the highest of all the Indian batsmen in the second innings and saved India from a precarious position. 

Cricket News India Australia International Yuzvendra Chahal