5 best overseas Test comebacks by the Indian team

We often hear the term ‘comeback’ in cricket. On most occasions, it’s related to a particular player who is dropped or injured and out of the team for some time and is back now.

However, we also refer to teams making a comeback. After being down and out at one point in a match, series or a tournament, they script a turnaround to stake their claim once again.

With the Indian team about to start a lengthy overseas sojourn, let’s look at some of their best Test comebacks overseas.

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#5 Port of Spain, 1976

After winning their first ever series in the Caribbean, India were back in West Indies after five years. However, the series didn’t start off well as India were comprehensively beaten in the first Test (by an innings and 97 runs). They dominated the second Test which was drawn.

In the third Test, after winning the toss and electing to bowl first, India started well by taking three quick wickets. But a brilliant 177 from Viv Richards helped West Indies post 359. Bhagwat Chandrashekar and Bishan Singh Bedi shared all 10 wickets between them.

In India’s first innings, Michael Holding ran through the batting line-up as India were bowled out for 228. Gundappa Vishwanath (41) and Madan Lal (42) were the only batsmen to go past 30. With a lead of 131, the hosts were certainly in front and they consolidated their position of strength as they declared after reaching 271/6. Alvin Kallicharan scored a superb unbeaten 103.

With a target of 403, it looked like the game was done and dusted as only once in the history of cricket (before that game) had a score of above 400 was chased in the fourth innings. Hence, India were chasing history in Port of Spain.

They started their chase with a solid 69-run opening stand. However, after Anshuman Gaekwad's dismissal, it was Mohinder Amarnath (85) and Suni Gavaskar (102) who controlled the innings. Gundappa Vishwanath continued the good work done by the top 3 and took India closer to the target. Brijesh Patel then added the finishing touches with an unbeaten 49 to take India home.

Brief Scores: West Indies 359 (Viv Richards 177, Clive Lloyd 68, Chandrashekar 6/120, Bedi 4/73) and 271/6 dec. (Kallicharan 103*, Venkataraghavan 3/63) lost to India 228 (Vishwanath 41, Madan Lal 42, Holding 6/65, Imtiaz Ali 2/35) and 406/4 (Gavaskar 102, Vishwanath 112, Amarnath 85, Jumadeen 2/70)

#4 Melbourne (MCG), 1981

Kapil Dev and Karsan Ghavri bowled beautifully to bowl out Australia for 83

India’s first two visits to Australia in 1947/48 and 1967/68 were very disappointing. They didn’t win a single Test match in nine attempts. However, the tour of 1977/78 changed things as they competed excellently to narrowly lose the series 3-2.

But when India toured down under in 1980/81, the tour wasn’t going too well. They had only three wins out of 10 ODIs in the Benson & Hedges World Series Cup (involving Australia, New Zealand and India). They had also lost the New Year’s Test by an innings against Australia.

The second Test was drawn with India (who competed well for most part of the Test match) just about managing to scrape through with 2 wickets remaining on the final day.

The third Test was a brilliant match. Leading 1-0 in the series, Australia elected to field first and skittled India out for 237. Only Gundappa Vishwanath could make a significant contribution (114) as Dennis Lillee and Co ran through the Indian batting line-up.

And then Australia drove home the advantage by putting up 419 in their first innings. Trailing by 182 runs, the Indian opening pair of Sunil Gavaskar and Chetan Chauhan batted brilliantly and put on 165 runs for the first wicket. However, a controversial decision of Gavaskar (which almost led to India fortifying the match) triggered a collapse as India were bowled out for 324.

Chasing a modest total of 143 and with a depleted Indian attack (plagued by injuries), Australia were firm favourites to seal the series. But what followed was a brilliant display of fast bowling. Kapil Dev and Karsan Ghavri bowled beautifully to bowl out Australia for 83 to help India end the series 1-1.

Brief Scores: India 237 (Vishwanath 114, Lillee 4/65, Pascoe 3/29) and 324 (Gavaskar 70, Chetan Chauhan 85, Lillee 4/105, Yardley 2/65) beat Australia 419 (Border 124, Walters 78, Dilip Doshi 3/109) and 83 (Walters 18*, Kapil Dev 5/28, Ghavri 2/10)

#3 Adelaide, 2003

Rahul Dravid celebrates after scoring the winning runs

In the last decade of the 20th century, India lost eight Test matches out of the nine they played in Australia. And when they toured in 2003/04, very few gave them a chance. This 2003/04 series was also Steve Waugh’s last one.

India were doing well under Sourav Ganguly. Thus, this series was a chance for them to show their worth overseas. The first Test in Brisbane ended in a draw and in the second Test, Australia won the toss and batted first on a very good batting surface.

On the first day, the hosts racked up a staggering 400 runs and lost only 5 wickets. On the second day, Australia were bowled out for a mammoth 556. Ricky Ponting scored a majestic 242 and India, in reply, were reduced to 85/4 and it looked like they would be bowled out cheaply.

However, the Aussies were reminded of the 2001 Kolkata Test again as Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman came together and dominated the Australian attack with a 303-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Unlike 2001, this time Dravid was the main scorer while Laxman (who scored 148) played second fiddle. After the latter’s dismissal, Dravid continued to bat with authority and scored a scintillating 233 to help India reach 523.

When Australia’s second innings started, it was already day four and a draw looked the likely result. However, an inspired spell from Ajit Agarkar (6/41) kept Australia down to 196 in their second essay. Hence, with a target of 230, India had an excellent chance of winning a Test match in Australia after 25 years. And it was Dravid once again who scored an unbeaten 72 to guide India to a famous win.

Brief Scores: Australia 556 (Ponting 242, Katich 75, Kumble 5/154) and 196 (Gilchrist 43, Waugh 42, Agarkar 6/41, Tendulkar 2/36) lost to India 523 (Dravid 233, Laxman 148, Bichel 4/118, Katich 2/59) and 233 for 6 (Dravid 72*, Sehwag 47, Katich 2/22)

#2 Durban, 2010

The 3-Test match series ended 1-1

The first Test of the series saw the master Sachin Tendulkar get to his 50th Test hundred (in the second inning of the Test). However, India lost the Test by an innings and 25 runs.

Durban (the venue for the second Test) welcomed India with a green and a pacy pitch. And with conditions overcast, South Africa won the toss and had no hesitation in bowling first. India had already suffered a bad collapse in the first innings of the first Test and a similar suit was followed here (though they were slightly better). All of the top 7 batsmen got in but couldn’t convert it into a big score and hence were bowled out for just 205. Dale Steyn ripped through the Indian batting line-up with 6/50.

With only 205 on the board, it seemed that India were already playing the catching game in the Test match. But an inspired performance from Zaheer Khan (who missed the first Test due to injury) and a dream spell from Harbhajan Singh (4/10) helped India bowl the Proteas out for 131 to give the visitors a handy first innings lead.

In the second innings, India were once again reeling at 93/5. But as was the case for a few years now, the second-innings specialist VVS Laxman came to India’s rescue as he scored an excellent 96 to help India set a target of 303.

South Africa’s chase started strongly with a 63-run opening partnership. But they lost wickets at regular intervals and were bowled out for 215 to hand India a series-levelling victory. Zaheer and Sreesanth took three wickets each in the second innings to help India win the Durban Test.

Brief Scores: India 205 (Laxman 38, Dhoni 35, Steyn 6-50, Tsotsobe 2/40) and 228 (Laxman 96, Morkel 3/47, Tsotsobe 3/43) beat South Africa 131 (Amla 33, Harbhajan 4-10, Zaheer 3/36) and 215 (Prince 39*, Smith 37, Sreesanth 3-35, Zaheer 3-57)

#1 Lord’s, 2014

In 2014, India mainly played away from home. They played New Zealand at the start of that year and even though they lost the series 1-0, they competed brilliantly.

Then came the tour of England in July. They were humiliated 4-0 on their last tour to the UK (in 2011). However, they started the series well as they played out a draw in Nottingham.

The venue for the second test was Lord’s – a place where they hadn’t won since 1986. On a green pitch, India were put into bat and were quickly reduced to 145/7 and it looked like they would struggle to get to 200.

However, a magnificent counter-attacking 103 from Ajinkya Rahane and a calm supporting 36 from Bhuvneshwar Kumar propelled India to 295.

India started well with the ball as well. They reduced England to 70/3 with Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowling beautifully. But a hundred from Gary Ballance (110) and an unbeaten fifty from Liam Plunkett (55*) helped England take a slender lead of 24 runs.

India started the second innings well as they were placed at 118/1. But wickets at regular intervals reduced them to 235/7. But a superb counter-attack from Ravindra Jadeja (57-ball 68) and a nice supporting fifty from Bhuvneshwar Kumar (52) helped India finish with 342.

Chasing 319, England slipped 72/4 on the fourth day. However, a superb 103-run partnership between Joe Root and Moeen Ali put the hosts back on track and they looked in control. Things were going well on the fifth morning and England hadn’t lost a wicket in the first session of the final day until the last over.

With things drifting away, Dhoni and Ishant had a lengthy conversation, the pacer then bowled a barrage of bouncers to Moeen Ali and the batsman fell on the last ball before lunch. With the new ball 4 overs away, it looked like India were right back in the game.

However, to everyone’s surprise, India didn’t opt for the new ball. Instead, they continued with their short-ball tactic (which worked before lunch) and reaped the rewards. Ishant Sharma ran through the English middle and lower order to give India a famous win at Lord’s. He took 7/74 as England fell prey to his short-ball ploy to go 1-0 down in the series.

This win was India’s first Test win at Lord’s after 28 years. It was also India’s first overseas win in more than three years.

Brief Scores: India 295 (Rahane 103, Bhuvneshwar 36, Anderson 4-60, Stokes 2/40) and 342 (Vijay 95, Jadeja 68, Bhuvneshwar 52, Stokes 3/51, Plunkett 3/65) beat England 319 (Ballance 110, Plunkett 55*, Bhuvneshwar 6-82, Jadeja 2/46) and 223 (Root 66, Ali 39, Ishant 7-74, Shami 1/33)