3 biggest first-innings leads which the Indian team gained in a losing cause
We frequently discuss how crucial first-innings leads in a Test match are, emphasizing how vital it is to perform well and set up the game, with either the bat or the ball.
However, in Test cricket, a side often has a second chance, through the second innings, to make a comeback. Therein lies the beauty of the longest format.
While India have scripted several comebacks after conceding the first-innings lead, they have also often been on the receiving end of such fightbacks. Showing great valor, different oppositions have put in exceptional performances against the Men in Blue in red-ball cricket.
On that note, let's look at the three biggest first-innings leads which India gained in matches they ended up losing.
#3. India lost to Australia after an 80-run first-innings lead in Adelaide (1992)
Despite India playing well over the course of the five-match Test series down under, they had to bottle down a scoreline of 4-0 on the 1992 tour. After losing the first two Tests and drawing the third, India squared off against the Aussies in the 4th Test at Adelaide.
India started brilliantly, bowling out a strong Australian batting line-up for just 145. Tendulkar also contributed with the ball, taking the massive wickets of Mark Taylor and Allan Border.
Yet, when it was India's turn to bat, they failed to solidify their advantage. However, a half-century from Kapil Dev and a series of contributions from the tail meant that India still finished their first innings with a healthy 80-run lead.
However, the match shifted as Mark Taylor and David Boon, who were in stunning form at the time, shared a 221-run partnership. Border would then ensure Australia had a strong lead with an unbeaten 91, owing to which the hosts managed 451 in their second innings. India had a steep target of 372 runs to chase down.
A 101-run partnership between Mohammed Azharuddin (106) and Manoj Prabhakar (64) saw India climb to 6/283. However, they soon fell to an in-form Craig McDermott (5/92), who ended the match with 10 wickets as he finished off the tail.
India had come close to stifling Australia's comeback, but their top order fell too cheaply to Australia's pace attack in both innings.
#2. India lost to England after a 132-run first-innings lead in Birmingham (2022)
The recently-concluded rescheduled fifth Test between India and England at Edgbaston saw the hosts pull off a momentous victory to level the series 2-2.
Following their 3-0 thrashing of New Zealand at home, the Ben Stokes-led unit were oozing with confidence when they faced India. After winning the toss, they asked India to bat first under overcast conditions.
At 98/5, India were staring down the barrel but Rishabh Pant (146) scripted a remarkable turnaround in the company of Ravindra Jadeja (106). The duo shared a match-changing 222-run stand-off in just 239 deliveries and propelled India's score to 416.
India's skipper Jasprit Bumrah led the charge with his right-arm pace and picked England's top three wickets in no time. A brilliant Jonny Bairstow century helped the hosts to reach 280+ before Mohammed Siraj (4-66) rattled the tail.
England win the Edgbaston Test by 7 wickets.
A spirited performance by #TeamIndia as the series ends at 2-2.
#ENGvIND https://t.co/fNiAfZbSUN
On Day 3, India had the upper hand in the game as they had an opportunity to bat England out of the game after taking a splendid 132-run first-innings lead.
However, during the second innings, the Men in Blue once again saw a top-order batting collapse before Cheteshwar Pujara (66) and Pant (57) steadied the ship. Once the former's vigil came to an end, the England bowlers kept picking wickets regularly.
Despite that, India set a target of 378 for England to hunt down in the fourth innings.
With their highest-ever Test run-chase in front of them, England's batters came out all guns blazing. No team had chased a target in excess of 350 against India in Tests but the hosts made a mockery of the total.
Openers Alex Lees (56) and Zak Crawley (46) put up a 100-run stand and provided a terrific platform for Root and Bairstow to capitalize on. The two Yorkshiremen smashed the visiting bowlers with utter disdain and helped England reach the target within 77 overs.
#1. India lost to Sri Lanka after a 192-run first-innings lead at Galle (2015)
Happy Birthday @chandi_17 .
His 162 (169) against India in third innings in Galle (2015) has been his best ever Test innings, scored 100 runs through boundaries, Sri Lanka were 192 runs behind still won the game by 63 runs... Herath took 7/48 https://t.co/NkxZBpHSlz
India's worst Test defeat after gaining the biggest lead in the first innings came against neighbors Sri Lanka at Galle in 2015. The three-match Test series was the red-ball farewell for Kumar Sangakkara and the beginning of Virat Kohli's full-time tenure as skipper in Tests.
After losing the toss, India dominated the first half of the Test on a raging turner. Ravichandran Ashwin's 6/46 aided India in restricting the Lankans to 183 in their first innings.
In search of a mighty first-innings lead, India batted for more than 117 overs and scored 375. They secured a huge lead of 192 runs as Shikhar Dhawan (134) and Kohli (104) scored brilliant tons.
Kohli and Co. aimed to utilize the bowling conditions during the third innings and even entertained the thought of winning the encounter by an innings. At 95/5, Sri Lanka’s second innings seemed to be panning out in a similar fashion to the first.
Indian spinners in Ashwin and Amit Mishra were on top of the opposition batters. However, Lankan keeper Dinesh Chandimal came out with a heroic run-a-ball century (162 off 169) and turned the game on its head. His counter-attacking strokeplay hurt India and asked them to chase 175 runs in the fourth innings.
Although it wasn't a big total, it was a tricky one and India were still favorites to chase it down.
With 175 to defend and a fourth-innings pitch suiting him, veteran spinner Rangana Herath wreaked havoc on the Indian batting unit. His left-arm spin produced a match-winning seven-wicket haul on Day 4 as India were bowled out for a paltry 112 to concede a 1-0 lead.
However, the visitors bounced back by winning the next two Tests to clinch the series.