10 lifeless performances by Indian bowlers in last 5 years

India’s struggles to pick up wickets outside home conditions seem to be never ending, with the bowlers struggling yet again to dismiss an opposition twice – this time against Australia at Adelaide in the first of the four-match Test series where they managed only 12 of the 20 opposition wickets. If one looks back, in the last five years under MS Dhoni as captain, you can easily pick up 10 lifeless performances by the Indian bowling unit. Here’s a look at them:  

#10 India v South Africa, Durban, 2013

 

After a spirited performance in the first Test at Johannesburg, India headed to Durban for the second and final Test of the series. Batting first, the visitors were bowled for 334, and the onus was on the bowlers to strike early. But the South African opening pair of Graeme Smith and Alviro Petersen got the hosts off to a good start, putting on 103 for the first wicket before both of them were dismissed back-to-back.

But that is when Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers started to take control. The duo added 127 for the fourth wicket and consolidated the South African innings. Following De Villiers's wicket, Kallis added fifty-run partnerships with JP Duminy and Dale Steyn to put his side in the driver's seat in the game. Even after Kallis was dismissed, the misery for the Indians continued as the South African tail inflicted more pain in a quest for quick runs.

Eventually, they were bowled out for exactly 500, and the Indian bowling card told a sorry story. Zaheer Khan bowled 28 overs and picked up just 2 wickets, giving away 97 runs. Ishant Sharma went wicketless, while Mohammed Shami picked just the lone wicket of Hashim Amla. Although Ravindra Jadeja picked up 6 wickets, he couldn’t rise to the occasion when it mattered the most. 

India were then bowled out for 223 runs in their second innings as the home team won the Test by 10 wickets chasing down 58 runs.