Test Cricket: Team India's 5 monumental away series victories
Test cricket is often labelled as the purest form of cricket. In spite of the emergence of t20’s and ever-growing fondness for ODI cricket, test cricket has its own place in the heart of every fan. There is a uniqueness about test cricket which makes it so important. A test match is a gruelling affair needing sheer persistence to win. It is the level of a cricket game that makes test matches special.
One difference that makes test cricket apart from everything else is the home and away scenario. Nowadays ODIs and t20s are not much-impacted by home or away conditions whereas test cricket still is highly influenced. Over the course of 5 days, a cricketer goes through a lot and behaves likewise. If history is to go by then it is evident that teams find it tough to win a test series away from home.
India have never won a series in Australia and South Africa, two major test playing nations- something unbelievable but yet true. An away win is remembered forever and India have been in the winning corner of one in quite a few occasions. Some series are embedded in the memory of fans around the globe and that is our main topic of concern.
Indian have accomplished many feats in their history when test cricket is the focal point.
Here are India's five most notable away wins.
Pakistan, 2003-04
What better way to start than the greatest cricket rivalry of all time. India and Pakistan have been at loggerheads for more than 60 years now and whenever these two giants collide, fireworks are expected. With the nations often providing memorable battles on the field, it is rightly said that when India and Pakistan play each other the world stops.
One such memorable instance was the action-packed tour of India in Pakistan. The three match test series is fondly remembered for Virender Sehwag's triple century in the opening match in Multan. Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar contributed for a record-breaking partnership of 336 before Sehwag was dismissed after scoring India's highest individual best total to that date -309.
With a goliath total of 675, India overpowered Pakistan as the hosts ended up losing the match by an innings and 52 runs.
Pakistan did get one back in Lahore as they defeated India by 9 wickets to level the series 1-1. With the series tied at 1-1, their final match in Rawalpindi was expected to be a hot-headed one and it was exactly what the fans got.
Pakistan batted first and were all out for a meagre 224 in the first innings. The Indians came out relying on Sehwag's terrific form but the Sultan of Multan failed to deliver as he was dismissed on the very first ball for a golden duck. Out came India's number 3 Rahul Dravid, who played probably the best knock of his career as India posted a total of 600 courtesy of David's 270.
Pakistan had no reply to India as they bundled were out yet again and India won the match by an innings and 131 runs. This was the last time India won in Pakistan. With the political tensions between the two neighbouring nations, an India tour of Pakistan is the last thing on anyone’s expectation list any time soon.