3 memorable overseas Test wins for Team India in the decade gone by
As the new decade begins, Team India will look to scale greater heights in the across all the formats. The previous decade between (2010-2019) was a great one for Indian cricket with wins in global limited overs tournaments as well as Test-match wins in overseas. 2019 was particularly good for Team India with 7 Test wins out of 8 Test matches overall. The team, led by Virat Kohli, performed outstandingly and the win percentage speaks for itself. This was largely due to the foundation that was laid in the previous years and the bench strength that was developed through IPL and first-class cricket. Many veterans have retired since 2010 and despite this, the youngsters have stepped up on to the bigger stage and proved themselves worthy.
Despite losing a few Test matches overseas, Team India has always been competitive and has notched up some memorable Test wins overseas in the previous decade. Let us look at 3 memorable overseas test wins by Team India in this decade of new heights.
#3 2014 Pataudi Trophy - 2nd Test between England and India, played at Lords
This was in 2014 when Team India toured England for a 5-match Test series followed b7y 5 ODIs and 1 T20I. The tour kicked off with the first Test ending as a tame draw at Trent Bridge. The 2nd Test match at Lord's had a green deck to offer and India was put in to bat first by England after winning the toss. India was down in the dumps at 7-145 however, a brilliant 90-run partnership between Ajinkya Rahane and Bhuvneshwar Kumar helped India in resurrecting the innings. Rahane scored a brilliant 103 against a potent England bowling line-up and India reached a respectable score of 295 in their first innings.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar turned up the heat during England's innings as he picked up a career-best 6-82 that limited England's score to 319. Gary Ballance top-scored for England with a dogged innings of 110.
Trailing by 24 runs, India played cautiously weathering the storm from the English bowlers. Murali Vijay held one end up while wickets kept tumbling at the other end. Aided by cameos in the lower order the Indian batsmen managed to put up a score of 342 runs in the second innings. Murali Vijay was the top scorer of the innings with 95, while Ravindra Jadeja and Bhuvneshwar Kumar scored valuable half-centuries in the lower order.
England required 319 to win the Test match with a day and a half to spare. Ishant Sharma who went wicket-less in the first innings bowled the spell of his career. He started off by picking up the key wicket of Ian Bell and followed it up by a brilliant bouncer that got rid of Moeen Ali before lunch on day 5. The short ball theory worked big time as the tall fast bowler picked up the wickets of Joe Root, Matt Prior, Ben Stokes and Stuart Broad in quick succession. James Anderson was the final batsman to be dismissed through a run-out and India completed a memorable win at Lord's. England were all-out for 223 and India won by 95 runs.
Why is this win so special?
It was 28 years then since India last won a Test match at Lord's. The previous triumph at Lords was in 1986 and India went into this game (2014) with the odds heavily stacked against them. A memorable win indeed.
