Five Batsmen who devoured Indian Bowling

India is known to be a batting nation. From CK Nayudu to Virat Kohli, we have a glorious list of willow-wielders who have charmed the cricket world. Same cannot be said about Indian bowling, though. Over the years, we have often struggled to possess a potent bowling attack.

While India can boast of world-class spinners, the cabinet is almost empty when it comes to genuine fast bowlers. The opposing batsmen who can play spin well have often benefitted from India’s speed deficiency and have amassed mountains of runs against the weak bowling attack.

Here are five such batsmen who found Indian bowling perfectly suited for their game. Their batting averages against India are extraordinary and on most occasions, they tormented the Asian giant’s bowling line-up.

#5 Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies)

The Indian cricket fans will never forget this Windies batsman with the Indian origin inevitably scoring runs against them. His style of taking the guard by hammering the bail and his quick-footed shuffling stance was the sight that Indian fans absolutely dreaded.

The reason for this treatment was Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s incredible record against India in Tests. In the 25 Tests, he scored 2178 runs at an average of 63.85 with seven centuries and 10 half-centuries. His batting average against India is 20 runs more than his career average of 43.

The most productive streak of run-scoring for Chanderpaul against India occurred in 2002 where he managed to score as many as four Test centuries. His most annoying act was in Georgetown, 2002. India had Windies on the mat in the first innings with the score 157/4. Chanderpaul and Hooper then constructed a 293-runs partnership that halted India’s progress.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul was a prolific run-scorer on the Indian soil as well. He scored 624 runs in the eight Tests that he played in India at an average of 52 with two centuries.

#4 Sir Ian Botham (England)

Ian Botham regularly demolished the Indian bowling attack with his batting

Known as one of the greatest all-rounders to play the game, Ian Botham was frequently compared with India’s finest product Kapil Dev. Although the more famous achievements of the English all-rounder have come against the Australians, he reserved his batting special against India.

While the career batting average of Ian Botham meandered around 33.54, his average against India climbed a few paces and ended at an amazing 70.64 in 14 Tests including five Test hundreds. His batting average did not even exceed 41 versus any other nations.

The most impressive part about Botham’s performances against India is the way he performed in sub-continent. In the Mumbai Test of 1980, Botham exhibited his world-class all-round skills. He first skittled India for 242 with his 6/58. Then resurrected the English innings from 58/5 with his extraordinary innings of 114. He once again floored India with 7/48 and won England the match single-handedly.

Botham ended up with twin centuries against India in consecutive Tests played in England. His last innings versus India at the Oval was a whirlwind 208 scored from only 226 balls in 1982.

#3 Zaheer Abbas (Pakistan)

Zaheer Abbas never stopped scoring against India

The incredulous ability of plundering runs against the arch-enemies, India, prompted the Indian players to call him “Zaheer Ab-bas karo” (Zaheer please stop now.) The bespectacled Pakistani batsman also merited the title of ‘Asian Bradman’ for his immense hunger for runs.

The performances of Zaheer Abbas stepped up a notch whenever he encountered the famous neighbors. Batting against India, the Pakistani middle-order batsman averaged 87 while his career average was 44.79 considering all nations. Half of his 12 Test centuries were scored versus India.

Zaheer Abbas walloped a mega century (176) in the first Test that he played against India. In the second Test played at Lahore in 1978, the Pakistani batsman single-handedly scored 235 not out while replying to India’s first innings total of 199.

Later in his career, the prolific run-scorer registered three consecutive scores of 215, 186 and 168 against India. The hapless Indian bowlers could never figure out how to stop this green run-machine.

#2 Younis Khan (Pakistan)

Pakistani batsman Younis Khan was severe against Indian bowling

The political tensions between the two nations have resulted in no India-Pakistan Tests since 2007. However, Younis, who made his Test debut in the year 2000, managed to play nine Tests against India. In these, he has scored 1321 runs at an astronomical average of 88.06 with five centuries.

The Pakistani legend has scored Test centuries in eleven nations, but it is India against whom he had a particular liking. The fact that Younis’ batting average versus India is higher than that against Zimbabwe or Bangladesh proves his affection for the arch-enemies.

The first tour Younis indulged against India was the 2005 tour in India. He failed in the first Test at Mohali as he accumulated only ten runs in two outings. He then scored 147 in the next Test and further improved it with a mammoth score of 267 in the Bangalore Test.

The run-scoring spree continued in the return tour of Pakistan as well with Younus’ three consecutive scores in 2006 being 199, 83 and 194. The run-getter further added another century against India in his account in the 2007 tour. Amazingly his last score versus India was a duck in the Bangalore Test.

#1 Andy Flower (Zimbabwe)

Talk of the greatest wicketkeeper-batsman and Andy Flower’s name will inevitably pop up in the discussion. Zimbabwe’s finest batsman averages above fifty in Test cricket and is only second on the list of most Test centuries scored by a gloveman.

The batsman has however shown a remarkable liking for the Indian bowling attack. In the nine Tests that he has played against India, Flower has scored 1138 runs at an astonishing average of 94.83 with three centuries and seven fifties. His incredible 90-plus average versus India is almost the double of his career average (51.54).

Andy Flower shone the brightest in a desperate situation that needed a miracle. In the Nagpur, 2000 Test, Zimbabwe following on needed to bat out five sessions to ensure a draw. Andy Flower battled unbeaten for nine hours and scored a magnificent 232* to deny India a win.

With many such performances, Andy Flower time and again proved to be the toughest thorn in India’s way.