Which International Cricket Players Have the Worst Record on Indian Soil: Exploring the Top Collapses
The Indian cricket team, one of the most recognized and followed teams in the world, has had both brilliant and brutal days on foreign grounds. While they've garnered numerous accolades in India, away from their home turf, their performance can sometimes be disappointing. An often discussed topic is their batting collapses, where after successfully setting themselves up, the team finds itself squandering the opportunity and losing the match.
These collapses usually occur due to a series of poor decisions leading to early dismissals. The bowlers often do a commendable job of restricting the opposition, but the batsmen often fail to back up that effort, leading to disastrous outcomes. This article will delve into some of the worst batting collapses by the Indian Test team while they were touring abroad.
Top 5 Worst Collapses by the Indian Test Team
1. Durban, South Africa - 1996
During the 1996/97 series in South Africa, Allan Donald demonstrated exceptional performance, taking a total of 20 wickets. The Indian team started off the series on a positive note, with fast bowlers Venkatesh Prasad and others bowling South Africa out for 235 in the first innings. However, the Indian batsmen struggled to cope with the pace and bounce of the bowling attack, resulting in a modest score of 100 for the first innings.
Following a decent bowling performance, South Africa managed to score 259 against a depleted Indian batting lineup. The target was 395, a challenging score, but the Indian team still had a chance. Yet, the South African pace attack, with Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock, and Lance Klusener, wreaked havoc, dismissing the Indian team for an abysmal 66, with not even two batsmen scoring double figures.
2. Ahmadabad, India - 2017
In more recent times, a striking example of batting collapse occurred in the 2017 Test series. England's bowlers targeted Indian batsmen with precision, leading to a score of 114 all out in the second innings. This was further compounded by the wickets of J. Bumrah (2/31) and Mohit Sharma (2/39), relegating India to a loss despite a fine performance from the English pace attack, which restricted India to a target that was beyond their reach.
3. Haydeekar, Bangladesh - 2010
The 2010 Test series in Bangladesh saw a similarly dismal performance. India faced immense pressure from the Bangladeshi bowlers in their second innings, losing all 10 wickets for just 29 runs. Led by Shakib Al Hasan and Abdur Razzak, the Bangladeshi pacesters took 6 wickets each, giving them a significant advantage and leave India reeling.
4. Port Adelaide, Australia - 2004
In a particularly trying match in 2004, India faced a formidable Australian bowling attack. Australia, with the help of Glenn McGrath and the oft-guilty Harbhajan Singh, skittled the Indian team for a mere 122 in their second innings. This was a significant drop for the Indian team, leading to a humiliating loss, as the Australian bowlers managed to restrict India to a modest target, which they could not achieve.
5. Faisalabad, Pakistan - 2012
Another notable collapse was during the 2012 Test series in Pakistan. Pakistan's pace attack, including Qasim Abbas and Mohammad Amir, gave India a lot of trouble, leading to a score of 49 all out in their second innings. This was an alarming performance for the Indian team, as they could hardly recover from the early dismissals, leaving them vulnerable to a crushing defeat.
Analysis and Conclusion
These batting collapses highlight the fragility of good performances in Test cricket, particularly on foreign grounds. Indian batsmen often struggle with unfamiliar conditions, leading to a lack of consistency in their performances. The examples listed above underscore the need for the Indian team to work on their resilience and consistency, which are often tested on the challenging fields of overseas opponents.
While these collapses are certainly disheartening, they also present opportunities for growth and improvement. Analyzing these matches and learning from these brutal realities can help the team build a more robust and resilient batting lineup in the future.