On This Day In Cricket - November 27

The day of darkness for the fans as on 27 November 2014, Phillip Hughes tragically died at 25 after being struck by a bouncer in a Sheffield Shield match, sending shockwaves through world cricket. On the same date in history, Desmond Haynes was controversially out handled the ball (1983), Kepler Wessels scored 162 on Test debut for Australia (1982), Anil Kumble took 6 for 12 to win the Hero Cup final (1993), R Ashwin reached 300 Test wickets the fastest and demolished Sri Lanka in Nagpur (2017), India ended South Africa’s long away unbeaten streak (2015), and Marizanne Kapp inspired Perth Scorchers’ maiden WBBL title (2021). A day forever marked by grief yet rich in memorable cricketing milestones.

On This Day - November 27, 2014 - Phil Hughes Passes Away after Being Hit by a Ball

Getting a clear understanding of what happened to Phillip Hughes helps explain why the cricket world was shaken so deeply by his passing. On 25 November 2014, during a Sheffield Shield match at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Hughes was batting on 63 runs when he attempted a hook shot to a short ball from Sean Abbott. The ball struck an unprotected area on the left side of his neck, just below his ear, a place the helmet did not cover. He immediately collapsed on the field and received mouth-to-mouth resuscitation before being taken to St Vincent's Hospital.

(Phil Hughes passed away on November 27, 2014)

Doctors operated on him and placed him in an induced coma, as the impact had caused a vertebral artery dissection that led to a subarachnoid haemorrhage. The match was abandoned right away, and Cricket Australia later called off the other Shield matches taking place in Brisbane and Melbourne, noting that players across the country were too distressed to continue. Despite surgery and intensive treatment, Hughes did not regain consciousness and passed away on 27 November 2014 at the age of 25. His funeral in Macksville on 3 December drew players from around the world along with national leaders, reflecting the magnitude of the loss felt throughout cricket.

On This Day - November 27, 1981 - Krishnamachari Srikkanth Made his Test Debut

Making the debut of Kris Srikkanth in Test cricket a memorable story, the opening batter stepped into international red ball cricket during the 1st Test between India and England at Mumbai in November 1981. Srikkanth opened the innings with Sunil Gavaskar in both innings but had a tough start against a strong England pace attack. In the first innings, he lasted only 10 balls before falling for 0 to Bob Willis, becoming the first Indian wicket to fall. In the second innings, he showed better composure and scored 13 from 31 balls before being run out by John Emburey with the score at 19.

(Kris Srikkanth made his Test Debut on November 27, 1981)

India posted 179 and 227 in the two innings, with Kapil Dev producing a brilliant all-round performance that included 38 and 46 with the bat and match-winning figures of 1 for 29 and 5 for 70. England struggled throughout the match and were bowled out for 166 and 102 while chasing 241. Madan Lal and Kapil Dev shared 10 wickets in the second innings as India completed a 138-run win. Though Srikkanth’s debut did not feature big runs, it marked the beginning of a career that later became known for fearless strokeplay and positive intent at the top of the order.

On This Day - November 27, 1986 - Suresh Raina Was Born Today

The player who became one of India’s most reliable limited-overs performers, Suresh Raina, built a long career through consistent batting, sharp fielding and handy offspin. Born on November 27 1986, he played for India from 2005 to 2018 and featured in 18 Tests, 226 ODIs and 78 T20Is. Raina scored 768 Test runs with 1 century, including a debut hundred in Sri Lanka. His ODI record was stronger, producing 5615 runs at an average of 35.31 with 5 centuries and 36 fifties. In T20Is, he added 1605 runs at a strike rate of 134.87 and became one of India’s earliest century makers in the format.

(Suresh Raina was born on November 27, 1986)

Raina’s impact in franchise cricket was even bigger. Across 336 T20 matches, he scored 8654 runs and remained one of the most consistent IPL performers with 5528 runs in 205 games for Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Lions. His aggressive stroke play, especially the inside-out drives, made him a key middle-order batter. He was also a valuable fielder with more than 170 catches in T20s and 102 catches in ODIs. Raina contributed with part-time off-spin too, collecting 36 ODI wickets. His energetic style, strong IPL legacy and ability to lift the team in pressure moments made him a standout figure in modern Indian cricket.

On This Day - November 27, 1980 - Shadab Jakati Was Born Today

When the journey of Shadab Jakati is viewed as a whole, it reflects the story of a hardworking spinner who made the most of every opportunity. Born in November 1980, Jakati spent many years in domestic cricket before gaining recognition through the IPL. His breakthrough came in the 2009 season in South Africa, where he delivered sharp left-arm spin and produced two four-wicket hauls in consecutive games. He continued to be a steady performer for Chennai Super Kings and played an important role in their title-winning campaign in 2010 by finishing with 13 wickets.

(Shadab Jakati was born on November 27, 1980)

Across formats, Jakati played 92 first-class matches and took 275 wickets at an average of 32, which included 13 four-wicket hauls and 3 five-wicket hauls. He also scored 2734 runs with a highest of 100 not out. In List A cricket, he claimed 93 wickets in 82 games, while in T20s he delivered 73 wickets in 91 matches at a strike rate of 24.3. His IPL career included 47 wickets from 59 matches with a best of 4 for 22. Even as competition in the Chennai Super Kings limited his chances after 2012, he continued to contribute whenever selected and later represented Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Lions. For Goa, he remained a dependable performer across formats for more than a decade.

On This Day - November 27, 2020 - Australia defeats India by 66 Runs

Marking the start of India’s 2020 tour of Australia, the opening ODI at Sydney turned into a high-scoring contest that the hosts controlled from the moment they won the toss. Australia piled up 374 for 6 after a dominant top-order performance. Aaron Finch anchored the innings with 114 from 124 balls, while David Warner added 69 in their 156-run stand. The real damage came from Steven Smith, who smashed 105 from 66 balls with 11 fours and 4 sixes. Glenn Maxwell’s explosive 45 from 19 balls pushed the total beyond India’s reach despite 3 wickets each for Mohammed Shami.

(Australia defeated India by 66 runs)

India began brightly by racing to 50 in just 4.1 overs, but early wickets of Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer slowed the momentum. Shikhar Dhawan held one end with a steady 74 from 86 balls, and Hardik Pandya kept hopes alive with a powerful 90 from 76 balls that featured 7 fours and 4 sixes. Their 128-run partnership gave India a chance, but regular breakthroughs from Josh Hazlewood and Adam Zampa stopped any comeback. India eventually reached 308 for 8 in 50 overs, falling short by 66 runs. Australia went 1-0 up in the series while India were also docked 1 point for a slow over rate.

On This Day - November 27, 2017 - India defeats Sri Lanka by an Innings and 239 Runs

Winning the one sided contest in Nagpur, India crushed Sri Lanka by an innings and 239 runs after a dominant display across four days. Sri Lanka chose to bat first but struggled to build partnerships and were bowled out for 205. Ishant Sharma picked 3 for 37, Ravichandran Ashwin took 4 for 67 and Ravindra Jadeja added 3 for 56 as only Dimuth Karunaratne with 51 and Dinesh Chandimal with 57 showed some fight. India replied with a massive 610 for 6 declared.

(India defeated Sri Lanka by an Innings and 239 Runs)

Murali Vijay scored 128, Cheteshwar Pujara made a patient 143 and Virat Kohli produced a superb 213 off 267 balls. Rohit Sharma added an unbeaten 102 while Dilruwan Perera was Sri Lanka’s most successful bowler with 3 for 202 from 45 overs. Sri Lanka collapsed again in the second innings, reaching only 166. Chandimal top scored with 61 and Suranga Lakmal fought for 31 but the rest fell cheaply. Ashwin completed another four wicket haul with 4 for 63 while Ishant and Umesh Yadav picked two wickets each. India wrapped up the win early on day four and Kohli was named Player of the Match for his double century.

On This Day - November 27, 2013 - India defeats West Indies by 5 Wickets

Taking the series decider at Kanpur, India chased down a target of 264 with calm control to win the match by 5 wickets and seal the series 2 1. West Indies reached 263 for 5 in 50 overs after solid contributions from their top order. Kieran Powell scored 70 from 81 balls with 9 fours and Marlon Samuels added 71 from 93 balls. The pair built a 117 run stand that lifted the innings after an early wicket. Darren Bravo finished with an unbeaten 51 from 53 balls, while Daren Sammy’s quick 37 from 29 balls helped push the total past 260. Ravichandran Ashwin was the most effective Indian bowler with 2 for 45.

(India defeated West Indies by 5 wickets)

India’s reply was anchored by a brilliant innings from Shikhar Dhawan, who struck 119 from just 95 balls with 20 fours. He dominated the chase from the start and added a steady partnership with Yuvraj Singh, who scored 55 from 74 balls. Despite early wickets of Rohit Sharma for 4 and Virat Kohli for 19, India stayed ahead of the required rate. Suresh Raina chipped in with 34, while MS Dhoni’s unbeaten 23 ensured a smooth finish. India reached 266 for 5 in 46.1 overs, winning comfortably with 23 balls left and Dhawan deservedly claimed the Player of the Match award.