5 factors behind India's 17-match unbeaten streak
Unbeaten streaks are hard to come by, especially in the modern-day game where every team is beatable. Given the aggression and fast-paced nature of cricket, teams are more vulnerable especially on foreign soil. That is why India’s present unbeaten streak of 17 matches needs to be lauded. Three countries have unbeaten streaks longer than that – West Indies (27 matches from 1982 – 84), England (26 from 1968 – 71 and 18 from 1959 - 61) and Australia (18 from 1999 – 01 and 22 from 2005-08).
Many different reasons contribute to a team’s unbeaten streak – a bit of luck, home games, good players, good form and some good conditions. India has enjoyed a 17-match unbeaten streak previously from 1985 -87 (a spectacular streak considering they drew three Tests in Australia and won 2 and drew 1 in England) and a 15-match streak from 1979 – 80.
However, the present streak is special, given it came under a young and inexperienced captain with a side that is still trying to find the right balance. Here are some reasons why India have managed to stay strong for so long. The streak started with India winning against Sri Lanka in August 2015 and has extended all the way until now.
That was also Virat Kohli’s first Test win after losing two matches, one each in Australia and Sri Lanka.
#1 11 home games
11 of the 17 matches in the current streak were played in India. Two more came in Sri Lanka, while four matches were in West Indies. While that shouldn’t belittle the impressiveness of the streak, it helps that a team plays under familiar conditions.
Home game advantage is especially massive in Test cricket. India were slightly fortunate in that games in Sri Lanka came under sub-continental conditions and the only away tour to West Indies was against a side that isn’t exactly on top of the form-chart. An oft-ignored aspect is the bench strength – which is always more impressive for home games, given players are more easily available to perform under home conditions.