5 times India have lost an ODI by 10 wickets

There was a lot of anticipation and buzz around the start of the ODI series between India and Australia, but the first ODI turned out to be a pretty one-sided affair with Australia defeating India by 10 wickets.

A team like India losing an ODI by 10 wickets doesn't happen too often. In fact, it has occurred just five times in the history of the nation.

Let’s have a look at all those five games where India couldn’t pick up a single wicket while defending a total.

5. India vs New Zealand 1981 - India 112/10 and New Zealand 113/0

New Zealand defeated India by ten wickets for the first time

The first time India lost an ODI by 10 wickets was way back in 1981 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia.

It was a tri-nation tournament called the Benson and Hedges World Series Cup. In the 10th match of that tournament, India batted first and were bowled out for 112 in 34 overs - with Gundappa Viswanath being the highest scorer.

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Chasing 113, New Zealand didn’t lose a single wicket as they got to the target in 29 overs. The Blackcaps openers John Wright and Bruce Edgar both scored half-centuries.

4. India vs West Indies 1997 - India 199/7 and West Indies 200/0

Shivnarine Chanderpaul scored a century while chasing 200

The second time India failed to pick up a wicket in the second innings was 16 years after the first instance. India were touring West Indies and the hosts had taken a 2-1 lead in the ODI series.

In the fourth ODI, the Indian batting line-up consisting of the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and Mohammad Azharuddin managed only 199/7 in the allotted 50 overs.

In reply, the West Indian openers Stuart Williams and Shivnarine Chanderpaul chased down the target in 44.4 overs. Chanderpaul scored a century while Williams was unbeaten on 78. India tried eight different bowlers but still couldn’t get a wicket.

3. India vs South Africa 2000 - India 164/10 and South Africa 165/0

Gary Kirsten and Herschelle Gibbs wiped off the target

India, Pakistan and South Africa were taking part in a tri-nation tournament in UAE. In the opening game at Sharjah, India batted first and were bundled out for 164. The batting line-up was similar to the one in the 1997 game, with a couple of changes.

India’s No. 11 Javagal Srinath was the second-highest run-scorer in the innings, with 30 runs to his name.

Chasing a below-par total, the South African openers Herschelle Gibbs and Gary Kirsten wiped off the target in 29.2 overs. Gibbs was unbeaten on 87 and Kirsten on 71.

2. India vs South Africa 2005 - India 188/10 and South Africa 189/0

The South African team defeated India by 10 wickets for the second time!

South Africa were visiting India for a five-match ODI series. After the first three ODIs, the series was tied at 1-1 - with the one at Chennai being called off due to rain.

In the fourth ODI at Kolkata India were batting first, with the likes of Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh in the team, along with the usual suspects. India were bowled out for 188 in 45.5 overs, as Shaun Pollock and Andrew Hall picked up three wickets each.

South Africa’s captain Graeme Smith scored 134 not out off 124 balls and Hall 48 off 94, as South Africa wrapped up the game in 35.5 overs.

This was the second time India had lost to South Africa by 10 wickets.

1. India vs Australia 2020 - India 255/10 and Australia 258/0

Aaron Finch and David Warner demolished India

Australia’s captain Aaron Finch won the toss and opted to bowl first on a flat Wankhede pitch. India lost Rohit Sharma early, but KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan stitched together an important partnership for the second wicket.

The rest of the batsmen failed to capitalize on that though, as India were bowled out for 255 in 49.1 overs.

With the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami back in the team, many thought India weren’t completely out of the game at that stage. But the Australian openers had different plans.

David Warner and Aaron Finch, both of whom have played a lot of cricket in India courtesy of the IPL, got off to a flying start as they raced to 84 in the first powerplay.

They never looked back from there, as they hammered the Indian bowlers to all parts of the park. Both of them scored centuries as they cantered to the target in 37.4 overs.

This was the first time India had lost an ODI to Australia by 10 wickets, and the fifth time overall.