If Hashim Amla’s batting in the India-South Africa Test could have put spectators to sleep, Bapu Nadkarni could probably have cured insomnia. The former Indian cricketer who – with a wicked smile on his face – spoke about “testing the patience of the batsmen” (video above), created a world record 52 years and 1 day ago that has never been broken.
The year was 1964, and the England cricket team were touring India at a time when the hosts were hardly considered creditable opposition. After India had scored 457 in the first two days, England resumed proceedings on the third day 63/2.
Most of the English batsmen were struggling with illness – "Delhi belly" was still a common occurrence for visiting teams. After the third wicket fell at 116, and Nadkarni with his left-arm spin was introduced into the attack, the two English batsmen at the crease, Brian Bolus and Ken Barrington, decided to choose the better part of discretion over valour.
Over the entire day, Nadkarni bowled dot ball after dot ball, maiden after maiden. The game ground to a halt as the English batsmen preferred to block ball after ball. Nadkarni was one of the most accurate bowlers of his time and, true to his form, he did not give anything way.
Only after he had bowled a record 131 dot balls – or 21 consecutive overs – did Nadkarni concede a run. His figures at the end of the day, January 12, 1964, read 29 overs, 26 maidens, 3 runs and no wickets. In terms of six-ball overs, this is still a world record for the most consecutive maiden overs bowled in Test matches.
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