3 popular grounds outside Asia where India are yet to register a Test win

It is a dream for every subcontinent team (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh) to win a Test series (or sometimes at least a Test match) outside their country or Asia. Since the conditions outside Asia are completely different from the subcontinent, winning a Test match or a Test series in those alien conditions is always a massive challenge for the Asian teams. Hence, Test series victories in Australia, England and South Africa are rated as significant and historic achievements for the subcontinent teams.

In the past 18 months, India competed in three massive overseas Test series against England, Australia and South Africa. Even though Virat Kohli’s men squandered their chances against England and South Africa, they registered a historic series win in Australia.

Despite a decent overseas record, India have never won a Test in a few of the overseas venues. Let us look at three such famous grounds outside Asia where India are yet to win a Test match.

#1 Newlands, Cape Town

India vs South Africa - 2018

India’s 1992-93 tour of South Africa was their first-ever Test series against the Proteas. In the fourth and final match of that series, India played their first Test match in Newlands, Cape Town. Besides, it marked the beginning of India’s many New Year Test matches in Cape Town. The game ended in a dull draw as the first innings of both teams extended until the afternoon of day four.

In the 1996-97 and 2006-07 tours, some exceptional bowling performances by the South African bowlers in the second innings resulted in significant victories for the Proteas. Besides, India lost both the series as a result of of losing those matches.

In the 2010-11 series, Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir helped India to draw both the matches and the series after a spectacular twin century from Jacques Kallis.

In the recent 2018 tour, India finally came close in winning a Test match at Newlands. However, India’s strange inclusion of Rohit Sharma over Ajinkya Rahane in the playing XI and AB de Villiers’ stubborn knocks in both the innings resulted in a thrilling victory for South Africa.

Matches - 5, Lost - 3, Drawn – 2

#2 Gabba, Brisbane

India vs Australia

The Brisbane Cricket Ground, popularly known as ‘The Gabba,’ is a fortress for the Australian cricket team. In 61 Test matches at the Gabba, Australia have won 39, drawn 13, tied one and lost just eight matches. Australia’s last defeat at the venue came against the mighty West Indies team in 1988. Since then, Australia are yet to lose a Test match at their fortress. Hence, it is not a surprise that India have such a poor record at this venue.

Barring the drawn Test match in 2003, India have lost all of their remaining five games at the Gabba. In the 1947 Test, India lost by a massive margin of an innings and 226 runs. In the 1968 and 1977 matches, India failed in their second innings run chase by a narrow margin of 39 runs and 16 runs respectively. Just like the 1947 match, Australia once again crushed India and won the game by ten wickets in 1991. Meanwhile, in the most recent encounter in 2014, Australia stumbled a bit in their small run chase of 128 and won the match by four wickets. Overall, Australia have always managed to bring their ‘A’ game against India at the Gabba.

Matches - 6, Lost - 5, Drawn - 1

#3 Edgbaston, Birmingham

India vs England

Edgbaston, Birmingham is in the news for the past few days as the Ashes 2019 kicked off last week at the venue. Although England lost recently in Edgbaston, the venue is a fortress for England, especially against the subcontinent teams (India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan) and New Zealand.

Barring the drawn Test match in 1986, India have lost all of their remaining six Test matches at Edgbaston. In particular, India lost three of those matches by massive margins. In 1974, 1979 and 2011 tours, India lost at Edgbaston by an innings and 78, 83, and 242 runs respectively.

In the 1967 and 1996 tours, England once again won their matches by comfortable margins of 132 runs and eight wickets respectively. Only last year, India came very close to winning their maiden Test at Edgbaston. However, they stumbled in their run chase of 194 and lost the match by 31 runs. Cheteshwar Pujara’s controversial exclusion from the playing XI was one of the significant factors in India losing that match.

Matches - 7, Lost - 6, Drawn – 1