How did India become the No. 1 Test Side?

[Victor Ian]

Is ***** Chinese? FMd. I thought he was Banglindlandistanalian.

 

[Shri]

Don't let him tell you otherwise.

 

[Furball]

This.

South Africa are number 2 for a reason. They have some clear weaknesses but are better than England and beat Australia away.

Are we just glossing over South Africa getting thumped on their last visits to England and India?

 

[Heboric]

Are we just glossing over South Africa getting thumped on their last visits to England and India?

South Africa are better than England because they dont lose test matches to Bangladesh or get thrashed by Pakistan

 

[Motorwada]

South Africa are better than England because they dont lose test matches to Bangladesh or get thrashed by Pakistan

South Africa drew in Bangladesh too in 2015 and actually conceded a 100 run lead in the first test.

In UAE they could not win and had to draw 1-1 and this was a team with Kallis, Smith, Steyn etc.

 

[SeamUp]

Yeah. I think SA have a bit to do to earn the number 1 spot. The next two series of Australia at home and Sri Lanka away are the perfect tests.

Think India deserve #1 slightly at this moment but I think SA/Aus have more chance of taking that spot right now than England.

I would like to see England compete like SA did without AB, Philander, Steyn, Morkel for long stretches like we did. It would actually be good to see them without Cook, Root, Anderson, Broad. The minute Stokes goes you get thrashed and uncompetitive in the first series. Easy to talk about 'thumped'

Tried to go back until each tour was played home and away. For England Bangladesh at home & for South Africa West Indies away didn't seem to come.

ENGLAND TEST RECORD

Australia
Home : 3-2 (3-0 win before this)
Away : 0-4 (0-5 loss before this)

West Indies
Home : 2-1
Away : 1-1

South Africa
Home : 3-1 ( 0-2 loss before this)
Away : 2-1

India
Home : 3-1
Away : 0-4 (2-1 win before this)

Bangladesh
Home :
Away : 1-1

Pakistan
Home : 2-2
Away : 0-2

Sri Lanka
Home : 2-0 (don't forget 0-1 loss before that)
Away : 1-1

New Zealand
Home : 1-1 (2-0 win before this)
Away : 0-0


SOUTH AFRICA TEST RECORD

India
Home : 2-1 (1-0 win before this)
Away : 0-3 (1-0 win before this)

Bangladesh
Home : 2-0
Away : 0-0

England
Home : 1-2
Away : 1-3 (2-0 win before this)

New Zealand
Home : 1-0 (2-0 win before this)
Away : 1-0 (1-0 win before this)

Sri Lanka
Home : 3-0
Away : 1-0

Australia
Home : 1-2 (1-1 before this)
Away : 2-1 (1-0 win before this)

West Indies
Home : 2-0
Away :

Pakistan
Home : 3-0
Away : 1-1

 

[morgieb]

South Africa drew in Bangladesh too in 2015 and actually conceded a 100 run lead in the first test.

In UAE they could not win and had to draw 1-1 and this was a team with Kallis, Smith, Steyn etc.

That was entirely because of rain, though. Bangladesh at least won a Test against England.

 

[S.Kennedy]

England in the UAE? If we are going back as early as 2015 we can also include England's 2-1 defeat of South Africa in South Africa!

 

[SeamUp]

England in the UAE? If we are going back as early as 2015 we can also include England's 2-1 defeat of South Africa in South Africa!

It's there.

 

[Motorwada]

That was entirely because of rain, though. Bangladesh at least won a Test against England.

Yeah but could also say that they did not LOSE a test too.Bangladesh did have an 80-90 run lead in the first test though so not like rain saved them.

 

[subshakerz]

In the 80s-90s India were an okish mid level team, in the 2000s became a top 3-4 team and now is number 1. I expect India to stay number 1 from now on with the gap only getting bigger and bigger.

Nah, India had a better team around mid to late 2000s than this one.

 

[R!TTER]

SOUTH AFRICA TEST RECORD

India
Home : 2-1 (1-0 win before this)
Away : 0-3 (1-0 win before this)

Bangladesh
Home : 2-0
Away : 0-0

England
Home : 1-2
Away : 1-3 (2-0 win before this)

New Zealand
Home : 1-0 (2-0 win before this)
Away : 1-0 (1-0 win before this)

Sri Lanka
Home : 3-0
Away : 1-0

Australia
Home : 1-2 (1-1 before this)
Away : 2-1 (1-0 win before this)

West Indies
Home : 2-0
Away :

Pakistan
Home : 3-0
Away : 1-1

South Africa haven't won in India since 2000, the infamous match fixing revelation series, they drew the last 2 series (before 2015) 1 all & lost 1 nil in 2004. More importantly since 2013 India have lost a grand total of 1 test against Aus, playing on all kinds of surface i.e. green tracks at Kolkata, also raging turners, dead as a dodo et al.

 

[smash84]

South Africa haven't won in India since 2000, the infamous match fixing revelation series, they drew the last 2 series (before 2015) 1 all & lost 1 nil in 2004. More importantly since 2013 India have lost a grand total of 1 test against Aus, playing on all kinds of surface i.e. green tracks at Kolkata, also raging turners, dead as a dodo et al.

Thanks for bolding the most relevant part

 

[Motorwada]

Nah, India had a better team around mid to late 2000s than this one.

Let's see. This team has far surpassed that team at home where they drew a lot. Also the core of that team came together in the late 90s so let's see how far this lot can go. Thing is most of this bunch are in their late 20s so they all have 4-5 years to go before the decline. So let's see how they can do.

 

[SeamUp]

South Africa haven't won in India since 2000, the infamous match fixing revelation series, they drew the last 2 series (before 2015) 1 all & lost 1 nil in 2004. More importantly since 2013 India have lost a grand total of 1 test against Aus, playing on all kinds of surface i.e. green tracks at Kolkata, also raging turners, dead as a dodo et al.

My mistake.

Trying to get some statistical overall perspective of us losing our odd series whilst doing some work.

Well aware of our series record in India as we were chatting about it the other day on the tour thread.

 

[R!TTER]

Let's see. This team has far surpassed that team at home where they drew a lot. Also the core of that team came together in the late 90s so let's see how far this lot can go. Thing is most of this bunch are in their late 20s so they all have 4-5 years to go before the decline. So let's see how they can do.

That's arguably untrue, the quality of opposition we've faced has also declined seriously plus DRS. If Kumble played as many tests, as Jadeja or Ashwin, with DRS he'd have picked up a lot more wickets, the same goes for Harbhajan.

My mistake.

Trying to get some statistical overall perspective of us losing our odd series whilst doing some work.

Well aware of our series record in India as we were chatting about it the other day on the tour thread.

SA record is pretty great actually, the second best after Pak. The loss of Kallis, Smith & Steyn (for the last series) cannot be understated. These 3 were your biggest matchwinners of the last 2 decades.

 

[Chrish]

Not really sure why some people are getting touchy about this subject. In order to win the true respect of neutrals, any major test team regardless of the ranking needs to at least draw (preferably win) the series at the place outside of their comfort zone.

Ffs it’s not too much to ask, is it?

 

[Chrish]

SA had an amazing record for a decade but they lost too often at home for my liking..

 

[Stefan9]

Anyway, series is done now. Does anyone realistically see either India or SA going long term with five bowlers, without one of them being a genuine all rounder? Makes for exciting cricket if they do, because the opposition is never out of the game.

Would do we mean with long term? I think unless things go horribly vs Aus , SA is likely to stick with 5 bowlers for the next 12 - 24 months.

Gibson likes 5 bowlers and it protects ageing bowlers.

Once the older bowlers go or wiaan Mulder matures they will go back to 7 batsman.

 

[Chrish]

If SA is planning on serving sporting tracks then 5 bowlers are completely unnecessary. They will get hammered against team like Australia who are used to these conditions much more than Indians are.