5 best overseas Test comebacks by the Indian team
We often hear the term ‘comeback’ in cricket. On most occasions, it’s related to a particular player who is dropped or injured and out of the team for some time and is back now.
However, we also refer to teams making a comeback. After being down and out at one point in a match, series or a tournament, they script a turnaround to stake their claim once again.
With the Indian team about to start a lengthy overseas sojourn, let’s look at some of their best Test comebacks overseas.
#5 Port of Spain, 1976
After winning their first ever series in the Caribbean, India were back in West Indies after five years. However, the series didn’t start off well as India were comprehensively beaten in the first Test (by an innings and 97 runs). They dominated the second Test which was drawn.
In the third Test, after winning the toss and electing to bowl first, India started well by taking three quick wickets. But a brilliant 177 from Viv Richards helped West Indies post 359. Bhagwat Chandrashekar and Bishan Singh Bedi shared all 10 wickets between them.
In India’s first innings, Michael Holding ran through the batting line-up as India were bowled out for 228. Gundappa Vishwanath (41) and Madan Lal (42) were the only batsmen to go past 30. With a lead of 131, the hosts were certainly in front and they consolidated their position of strength as they declared after reaching 271/6. Alvin Kallicharan scored a superb unbeaten 103.
With a target of 403, it looked like the game was done and dusted as only once in the history of cricket (before that game) had a score of above 400 was chased in the fourth innings. Hence, India were chasing history in Port of Spain.
They started their chase with a solid 69-run opening stand. However, after Anshuman Gaekwad's dismissal, it was Mohinder Amarnath (85) and Suni Gavaskar (102) who controlled the innings. Gundappa Vishwanath continued the good work done by the top 3 and took India closer to the target. Brijesh Patel then added the finishing touches with an unbeaten 49 to take India home.
Brief Scores: West Indies 359 (Viv Richards 177, Clive Lloyd 68, Chandrashekar 6/120, Bedi 4/73) and 271/6 dec. (Kallicharan 103*, Venkataraghavan 3/63) lost to India 228 (Vishwanath 41, Madan Lal 42, Holding 6/65, Imtiaz Ali 2/35) and 406/4 (Gavaskar 102, Vishwanath 112, Amarnath 85, Jumadeen 2/70)