Indian cricket and its overseas woes

Statistically, India has had its best home season during 2016-17 phase. India has been one of the most dominant home team in recent years, one that has been compared to the Australia of 2000s.

But prior to this home season, India has had 2 horrific runs: one in 2011-12 and one in 2013-14. Why is it that a team that seems invincible at home struggles when it travels overseas? There are several reasons.

With India currently playing in South Africa, let's look at the problems the previous touring Indian teams have faced, and analyze whether the current team has the mettle to be the the best touring Indian team.

India's inability to pick up 20 wickets

Zaheer Khan had very little support from the other end during every away tour throughout his career

India has never had a bowling attack that could pick up 20 wickets in overseas conditions. The country has had good fast bowlers, but never a line-up that could attack the opposition from both the ends. Statistically, Kapil Dev (434) and Zaheer Khan (311) are the only pacers with more than 300 Test wickets.

One of the reasons why India has struggled to produce good fast bowlers is that in domestic cricket, the wickets are spin-assisting which deters the players to take up fast bowling.

However, in recent times India has developed grounds with seaming conditions to encourage fast bowling. With a plethora of fast bowlers bursting onto the scene, this issue seems to be being solved.

India's inability to wrap up the opposition tail quickly

There have been instances where India has managed to get the opposition five or six down early and has had the opportunity to restrict them to a below par score, but then India had given away that advantage by letting the lower order score and get them to a par score.

At India's tour of South Africa 2013-14 In the Johannesburg Test, India had set a mammoth 458 run target in the fourth inning.

India had South Africa 197-4 and then, the win seemed a mere formality. But India again didn't wrap up the tail quickly and the match ended in a draw. What was worse was, India lost the second Test and therefore, lost the series. So, that phase of the game had a direct impact on the series.

Indian spinners' ineffectiveness in overseas conditions

India's Spin-Twins will have have to learn to adjust to the overseas conditions

Ravichandran Ashwin: 24 wickets in 9 Test matches outside Asia

Ravindra Jadeja: 18 wickets in 7 Test matches outside Asia

The numbers don't lie. Do they? The spin duo has struggled outside Asia and their poor record is testimony of it.

This is because the Indian spinners rely primarily on spin and turn to pick wickets, which more often than not is missing from the overseas pitches. They will have to adapt and use their variations along with the bounce that the surface offers to get the wickets. If the surface has no assistance for the spinners, they should focus on just containing the batsmen.

India's tendency to lose wickets in clusters or collapse

Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara, both had a horrific tour of England in 2014

India has had the problem of collapses in away tours for a while now. Statistically, India had nine scores of less than 225 in 13 away Tests in the year 2014. A batting collapse in a Test match generally turn out to be decisive in the result of the match.

Another problem is that even when India is off to a good start and has the advantage, they let go of it by losing wickets in clusters and falling short of the target or the par score.

India's fragile lower order

Ashwin will have to hone his batting skills

India's lower order contribution outside Asia has been very poor. The nine scores of less than 225 in 13 Tests outside Asia we talked about earlier, have a lot to do with this. The Indian lower order (7-11) contributes only around 10% of total runs in an inning outside Asia.

The contribution from the lower order is vital because the runs they score often turn out to be the difference between a par score and an above par one.

India's woes in the slip cordon

India's slip cordon has been a worry for a long time now. India drop as many as 55% of their chances created by the pacers in slip cordon, i.e. virtually every second chance is dropped. With away tours lined up, this has to be on the top of the worry list.

What's the problem then? India's ground fielding and catching in general has been superb, in fact one of the best in the world. But slip catching is a bit different proposition to handle. R Sridhar, India's fielding coach, has to address this as soon as possible.

Firstly, they have to choose people that they think are suitable for being the slip fielders, a player like Ashwin, who did well as slip fielder in the 2013 Champions Trophy should be given a chance to take up the role. Even, Pujara for that matter has shown some promise. Slip catching will be even more essential in places like England, where the ball would swing and the ball would be flying past outside edges.

Catches being dropped is as good a concern as a miss firing Kohli is, because both are proven match winners. Even though it may seem a cliche, "Catches do win matches!"

With the number of away tours lined up in 2018, India will have to address these issues soon.