Top 5 Performances by an Overseas Bowler in India

Bowling brilliant spells away from home is never an easy task. In India or anywhere in the sub-continent, creaking, cracking pitches or flat tracks meant it was spinners who would be more successful than the pacers. However, over the years, the world’s best spinners only returned disappointed considering how well most Indian batsmen played spinners on their home pitches.There have been stunning spells too of bowlers who have single-handedly demolished Indian batting, although that has always been India’s traditional strength. A bowler getting six to seven wickets and running through the Indian side is a spectacular event especially when it was a pacer who did it.Some spectacular bowling spells have come since the 70s, a time when India was only getting stronger and better with its batting. We have picked five bowling spells that will be remembered for a long time, not just for the havoc but the manner in which it was wreaked.

#1 Ian Botham, Bombay, 1980

Sunil Gavaskar departs, caught Bob Taylor bowled Ian Botham

Bowling figures: 6/58 and 7/48

It was probably one of the best all-round performances by a visiting player in India. Besides taking two five-wicket hauls in the Test, Botham also scored a century in that match at No.6 in a crisis, pushing England from 58 for five to 296 all out after a 171 run partnership with Bob Taylor.

However, that wouldn’t be the only form of partnership between Taylor and Botham. As many as 8 times, the scoreboard in the Test match had c Taylor b Botham.

Batting first India managed 242. Botham picked 6 including those of Sunil Gavaskar, Sandeep Patil and Kapil Dev. But he had saved his best for the second innings. India had a deficit of 54 to take care of. But Botham ensured India won’t get too many getting six of the top 7 Indian batsmen. By the time Botham picked his fifth, Syed Kirmani, India were 58 for six. He came back to break a 44 run partnership trapping Yashpal Sharma LBW.

Botham had match figures of 13-106, still the best match figures for any visiting bowler. He picked each wicket at 8.15 runs apiece.

#2 Lance Klusener, Kolkata, 1996

Lance Klusener’s glorious debut at the Eden Gardens

Bowling figures: 0/75 and 8/64

It was his debut. In the first innings, Zulu was then a genuine quick, before injury forced him to turn into an all-rounder whose bowling was more about line and length than pace. In the first innings, Klusener had a bad taste of the Eden Gardens, partnering Allan Donald and managing 0-75 in 14 overs. However, massive tons from Daryll Cullinan and Gary Kirsten meant India had a target of 467 runs in the final innings.

The near impossible task gave Klusener the ammunition he needed. He demolished Indian batting in the second innings with figures of 21.3-4-64-8. Without the services of their frontline fast bowler, South Africa were weakened but Klusener ripped through the Indian innings, picking Nayan Mongia, the opener and the Sourav Ganguly at No.3 in very quick succession.

Pat Symcox got Sachin Tendulkar’s wicket and almost immediately Klusener got VVS Laxman. McMillan got Rahul Dravid after a 60 run partnership with Azharuddin. But once Dravid was gone, Klusener cleaned up the lower middle order and the tail. It still remains the best figures by any overseas bowler on Indian soil. India did win the series 2-1.

#3 Andy Roberts, Madras, 1975

Andy Roberts’s bowling figures are only behind Ian Botham’s as the best showing by an overseas fast bowler in India

Bowling figures: 7/64 and 5/57

Andy Roberts’ match figures of 12-121 are the second best by any visiting pace bowler in India. Roberts’ spells came in a losing cause which is a pity because he gave his team every chance to win. Batting first India were all out for 190 thanks to Roberts’ devastating pace.

Gundappa Vishwanath was stranded on 97* as Roberts got Anshuman Gaekwad, Mansur Ali Khan and Ashok Mankad before cleaning up the lower middle order. West Indies were all out for 192.

Batting second India managed 256 with Roberts getting the big wickets of Mansur Ali Khan and Vishwanath. West Indies floundered in the fourth innings chase all out for 154. But Roberts’ bowling in the match including two five-wicket hauls on a slow, turning track will stand out in the history of fast bowling spells in the sub-continent.

#4 Dale Steyn, Nagpur, 2010

Dale Steyn has bowled some devastating spells in India in recent times

Bowling figures: 7/51 and 3/57

Over the years Steyn has been a fast bowler who could coax the most placid of Indian pitches into life bowling unbelievable spells ripping through the Indian batting orders, which were generally really strong. South Africa has been one of the best visiting teams to India on the back of some sterling performances by its bowlers and Steyn has quite a few in that account.

In the Nagpur Test, Steyn came up with one of the best fast bowling spells seen in Indian soil. Steyn managed figures of 4.4-2-3-5 cleaning up the lower middle order. India went from 221 for four to 233 all out in that Test. Following on, they were all out yet again for 319 with Steyn managing figures of 3-57 with match total of 10-108. His seven-wicket haul ensured India fell well short of the follow-on mark.

Steyn has often bowled these devastating spells, another coming at Ahmedabad in 2008, where he picked 5-23. In this game, his spell ensured India were all out for 233 after South Africa posted 558. Virender Sehwag scored 109 but India were 325 short of the South African total. Sachin scored a century in the second innings but India still lost the Test by an innings and 6 runs.

#5 Michael Clarke, Mumbai, 2004

Michael Clarke’s exploits with the ball in Mumbai in 2004

Bowling figures: 6/9

India won the match narrowly by 13 runs but Michael Clarke bowled one of the best spells by a visiting bowler. Interestingly, his spell as a part-time spinner was better than those of many legendary spinners who visited India. Given the way Clarke wreaked havoc in the test, it has made it to the list ahead of Richie Benaud’s great performance in the Chennai Test of 1956 when he had managed a match tally of 11-105.

India were all out for 104 in the first innings. Australia managed a lead of 99. India were en route to setting a tricky target for Australia in the fourth innings, at 105 for two and later at 153 for three. Nathan Hauritz picked couple of key wickets, that of Sachin and Laxman. From then on, it was the Clarke show. Clarke managed figures of 6.2-0-9-6, as India went from 182 for four to 205 all out.

Clarke’s scalps include Rahul Dravid, M Kaif and Dinesh Karthik apart from the tail. That spectacular spell gave Australia a great opportunity to win the series 3-0 as they had just 107 to chase. But a five-wicket haul by Harbhajan Singh obliterated Australia. They were all out for 93 runs and India narrowed the gap to 2-1, a rare series win for Australia in India in the new millennium.