Live Score
Cricket Teams
Cricket Players
For India, well begun is often undone
Well begun but coming undone has been a strong theme in India’s performances overseas, with numbers from this millennium highlighting that
India face the near-impossible task of winning the second Test at Perth on the final day on Tuesday. They need only 175 runs chasing a fourth-innings target of 287, but India are five down with Australia one wicket away from exposing the tail on a pacy pitch of variable bounce and sporting cracks.
Well begun but coming undone has been a strong theme in India’s performances overseas, with numbers from this millennium highlighting that. India went into this series as favourites against an Aussie side without Steve Smith and David Warner, and two more Tests are left, but defeat in Perth would at least temporarily see the lead being given away.
When the Perth Test is done, much debate will focus on India not playing spin and their own batsmen’s failure to tackle off-spinner Nathan Lyon until now in the series. But their record too will be under scrutiny.
Statistics from the start of 2000 have relevance as the golden generation of batsmen matured as a unit first with the current line-up, led by Virat Kohli’s sparkling consistency, also boasts of a world-class pace attack. But the numbers also show why India are yet to win a series in South Africa and Australia, and have lost their last three in England.
ALSO READ: IPL Auction 2019 LIVE Updates
Since 2002, India have taken the lead 10 times away from home, but won only six times. Four of those wins are in the sub-continent --- Pakistan 2004 and Sri Lanka 2017 --- or against a weak West Indies in 2011 and 2016. The others were in England (2007) and New Zealand (2008-9).
Five times, India followed a Test win by losing the next. Of that, thrice they lost the series --- in the West Indies in 2002, in South Africa in 2006-7 and in England in 2014.
In 2003-4, India looked set for their first series win in Australia, but had to come away with a 1-1 draw. skipper Sourav Ganguly’s century helped draw the rain-hit first Test in Brisbane. Rahul Dravid’s batting mastery and Ajit Agarkar’s sensational spell stood out in the Adelaide win next up.
India carried the momentum to MCG. But Virender Sehwag’s failed bid to hit a six to get to his 200 --- he was caught in the deep for 195 – triggered a slump as the hosts won. India still were favoured to win the final Test against an Aussie side fixated with the impending retirement of skipper Steve Waugh.
ALSO READ: IPL 2019 auction - full list of players
On a spin-friendly Sydney pitch, Parthiv Patel’s poor glovework saw both Ricky Ponting and Waugh escape with the skipper’s gritty half-century in his final innings helping the hosts secure a draw.
On the historic Pakistan tour of 2004 too, India won the first and lost the next. But Rahul Dravid’s 270 and wickets from Irfan Pathan, L Balaji and Anil Kumble helped India clinch their first series win in Pakistan.
Two years later, the bowling momentum provided by S Sreesanth saw India win the first Test at the Wanderers, but poor batting led to defeat in Durban and the regrouped Proteas dealt their demoralised opposition a five-wicket defeat in Cape Town.
On the 2007 England tour, where none of India’s top six batsmen got a century, India won the second Test at Trent Bridge after a draw at Lord’s. They then ensured a draw at the Oval, where Anil Kumble got his only century, for a 1-0 win. In New Zealand two years later too, India won the first Test and then drew the next two, their last series win outside the sub-continent or the West Indies.
The 2014 England tour under MS Dhoni was also painful. The Trent Bridge draw was followed by the Ishant Sharma-led win at Lord’s. But England’s swing bowling led by James Anderson and the spin of Moeen Ali – Virat Kohli averaged less than 14 – saw India lose the next three Tests.
