England vs India, 2018: 5 humiliating records that India created in the 1st Test
Have you ever seen a pendulum oscillate? Well, the first Test between England and India was much like a pendulum that oscillated infinite times before Ben Stokes managed to catch Virat Kohli off guard for an LBW.
The wicket of Virat Kohli in the second innings turned out to be the decisive moment in the match as right after the wicket India's innings plummeted as they were bundled out for 162.
India lost the match by a meagre margin of 31 runs, a margin that put India in a pool of unwanted records. Thus, in this feature, we will look at five unwanted records that India created in the first Test against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
#5 Narrowest defeat for India by runs in England
Unequivocally, it was that type of test match that could have gone either way until the last wicket fell. With a target of 194 to be chased on a pitch where batsmen were falling like nine pins, it was never going to be easy for India especially with the kind of bowling line-up that England possessed.
Much according to the script, the English bowlers made the Indian batsmen work their socks off for each and every run with unerring accuracy. Eventually, England held their nerves and managed to win a thriller which frankly, could have gone either way.
The loss turned out to be India's narrowest defeat (runs) in their entire history of Test cricket in England. India lost the match by a mere 31 runs which also turned out be their fourth narrowest defeat (runs) in the entire history of Test cricket.
Narrowest defeats (runs) for India in Test cricket:
12 v Pakistan, Chennai, 1999
16 v Pakistan, Bengaluru, 1987
16 v Australia, Brisbane, 1977
31 vs England, Edgbaston, 2018