This guy right here—
(Credit- Google Images)
Venue- SCG, Australia
Year- 2009
In that test match, Graeme Smith broke his left hand while playing a ball from Mitchell Johnson. What a lot of people don’t know is that he was also recuperating from an injured elbow that was also a victim of Mitchell Johnson.
He was retired hurt in the second innings.
There were 8.2 overs left for the day and with Smith retired hurt, Dale Steyn was cleaned up as the number 9 batsman. The Aussies believed they’d won the match and the celebrations erupted.
But then this happened-
(Credit- Google Images)
Smith appeared to come out of the visitors dressing room and started to pad up. He borrowed a shirt from Jacques Kallis and a pullover from Paul Harris. Amidst a wave of shock and disbelief from the commentators, the crowd erupted in adulation for the badassery that was about to be unleashed.
Smith joined Makhaya Ntini to try to salvage a draw for his team. They were still 118 runs away with 8.2 overs left so winning was not an option.
With a broken left hand, an injured elbow and his own blood injected into his right elbow, here was a man captaining his side who batted against Johnson who was breathing fire through his bowling. It can make anyone cringe to imagine what could have happened had the ball hit the injured parts of his body.
(Credit- Google Images)
Every defensive stroke was met with an ear-splitting cheer from the crowd. Every single run was celebrated like a victory lap. With just 2 overs remaining for the day, Smith was cleaned bowled.
(Credit- Google Images)
South Africa lost the match but the game of cricket witnessed a prime example of human endeavor, obsession, dedication and pure badassery.
“It shows how courageous he is and what kind of person he is. How many people would do that for their team?" - Ricky Ponting
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