Is This India's Greatest Test Series Victory Overseas?

[Slifer]

India really ought to have done better in NZ particularly in that 2ns test where they had a real opening.

While I don't see the parallels with the 1995 Frank Worrell series, this series should certainly spur India onto bigger things

They have tours lined up to England and Saf. Provided they can get most of their first choice side on the park, they should be extremely disappointed if they don't get positive results (win or draw) in both those tours.

India have been getting progressively better since March 2000 - reckon they have a real shot at winning in both England and Sa.
India have struggled in England since 20¹¹ but I just feel a full strength India will really test England over there this time.

Agree with everything you said.

 

[stephen]

The thing about 1995 was that it was the moment Australia truly believed in itself for the first time. McGrath emerged as leader of the attack and they conquered the most difficult series in cricket (at the time). This win by India was similar in that it highlighted the emergence of Bumrah and was India conquering the most difficult task is cricket - beating Australia at home and at the Gabba of all places.

 

[jimmy101]

The thing about 1995 was that it was the moment Australia truly believed in itself for the first time. McGrath emerged as leader of the attack and they conquered the most difficult series in cricket (at the time). This win by India was similar in that it highlighted the emergence of Bumrah and was India conquering the most difficult task is cricket - beating Australia at home and at the Gabba of all places.

To be fair the 2018/19 series was probably the true emergence of Bumrah. And unlike the West Indies at home during the 80's & 90's, Australia had been losing series at home against the likes of England & South Africa during the past decade.

Had India managed to beat Australia in Australia back in 2003/04 I feel analogies such as these could be drawn.

 

[Chrish]

India really ought to have done better in NZ particularly in that 2ns test where they had a real opening.

While I don't see the parallels with the 1995 Frank Worrell series, this series should certainly spur India onto bigger things

They have tours lined up to England and Saf. Provided they can get most of their first choice side on the park, they should be extremely disappointed if they don't get positive results (win or draw) in both those tours.

India have been getting progressively better since March 2000 - reckon they have a real shot at winning in both England and Sa.
India have struggled in England since 20¹¹ but I just feel a full strength India will really test England over there this time.

Current Indian crop handles pace and bounce pretty well.. It's when ball starts nipping around (Eng, NZ, SA), it's all over.

I wonder why NZ can't beat OZ in their backyard given OZ have similar weakness. Mental wood may be?

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Yeah we just **** our pants whenever we play Australia.

 

[honestbharani]

If Lord Colin de Bighouse can make Kohli look like a club batsman on a green surface then I expect Anderson and Broad to do the same.

Its true, but Virat did make loads of runs in 2018 in England. I am more worried about Pujara and Rahane and our openers in those conditions.

 

[Senile Sentry]

This was the kind of series which I used to envision in my mind when I was young, and Pant was the character I used to roleplay.

 

[Bahnz]

Current Indian crop handles pace and bounce pretty well.. It's when ball starts nipping around (Eng, NZ, SA), it's all over.

I wonder why NZ can't beat OZ in their backyard given OZ have similar weakness. Mental wood may be?

Hendrix nailed this in another thread. India, Aus and NZ are the three best teams in the world at the moment, but have very different styles of play. NZ don't like pace and have a bowling attack that is built around swing and seam. Australian conditions are pacey and offer nothing to their bowlers. India by comparison are fine with pace, have bowlers quick enough (and skillful enough in the case of their spinners) to exploit Aus conditions. However their batsmen like the feel of bat on ball and struggle against movement and so NZ has the wood on them at least at home.

There's definitely a mental component to it as well though, don't think NZ has ever gotten over the shellacking they copped in the 2015 WC Final.

 

[Slifer]

The thing about 1995 was that it was the moment Australia truly believed in itself for the first time. McGrath emerged as leader of the attack and they conquered the most difficult series in cricket (at the time). This win by India was similar in that it highlighted the emergence of Bumrah and was India conquering the most difficult task is cricket - beating Australia at home and at the Gabba of all places.

Actually, the toughest task in cricket is beating india in India. And tbh, Bumrah has been quality for a while now. I wasn't always completely sold (admittedly), but what he's done this series, spearheading a depleted attack was outstanding. His numbers this series imo, don't truly reflect how outstanding he was. Also, India's fielding was atrocious to say the least. All of Bumrahs series have been outside of India and with the exception of the NZ series, the kid has done well. Btw, where the hell is Bhuvi??

 

[Senile Sentry]

Injured. Siraj has jumped him now.

 

[Chrish]

Hendrix nailed this in another thread. India, Aus and NZ are the three best teams in the world at the moment, but have very different styles of play. NZ don't like pace and have a bowling attack that is built around swing and seam. Australian conditions are pacey and offer nothing to their bowlers. India by comparison are fine with pace, have bowlers quick enough (and skillful enough in the case of their spinners) to exploit Aus conditions. However their batsmen like the feel of bat on ball and struggle against movement and so NZ has the wood on them at least at home.

There's definitely a mental component to it as well though, don't think NZ has ever gotten over the shellacking they copped in the 2015 WC Final.

What I meant was I don’t understand why NZ doesn’t beat OZ when playing them in NZ. Australian batsmen have a weakness against moving ball so NZ should be able to thrash them. But that doesn’t happen. I think it’s a mental component more than anything.

 

[stephen]

What I meant was I don’t understand why NZ doesn’t beat OZ when playing them in NZ. Australian batsmen have a weakness against moving ball so NZ should be able to thrash them. But that doesn’t happen. I think it’s a mental component more than anything.

It's been a while since Australia toured NZ tbf.

 

[Kirkut]

It will be funny if Bumrah plays his first test in India and experiences a reverse culture shock with the conditions.

 

[h_hurricane]

This series was like Lagaan.

Lagaan did not have Isa Guha commentating. This is way better.

 

[harsh.ag]

Lagaan did not have Isa Guha commentating. This is way better.

It had Isa Guha as coach though

 

[Senile Sentry]

Yeah definitely India s best ever series win. Not just overseas.

In 2001, they were largely reliant on extra heavy duty performances from just four Indians : Laxman, Harbhajan, Tendulkar and Dravid. No Indian other than Laxman, Dravid and Tendulkar averaged above 30 the whole series. And when it comes to bowling, its even crazier, Harbhajan took 32 wickets in the series and the next best was Tendulkar with 3! It was polar opposite of what you would call a team performance.

Further, it was played at home and on some real turning tracks, and also assisted by a bit of trigger happy umpiring as well.

This series win was in complete contrast. A through and thorough team performance. No assistance from umpires. And on completely alien surfaces from home. And most importantly against a group of bowlers who are ranked in top 10 or 15 in the world. And against two or three batsmen who are also in top 10. Cannot get bigger than this.

 

[Chrish]

Although boring, love Tendy’s reaction videos for this series win. You can tell he is genuinely happy for team’s success.

Lots of past players like to downplay achievements of incumbent teams. They often fall into “things were better in my days” trap.

 

[vcs]

I can't think of a single ex-player (leave alone Indians, who barely have any such overseas victories in their careers) downplaying this. Everyone is gushing, it's such a wholesome and unbelievable turn of events.

 

[Engle]

One noticeable point that bears mentioning is that no player tried to 'get their century ' . Personal statistics were shunned. Whatever each player did, it was strictly for the benefit of the team.

 

[honestbharani]

One noticeable point that bears mentioning is that no player tried to 'get their century ' . Personal statistics were shunned. Whatever each player did, it was strictly for the benefit of the team.

TBF, a few other teams have been like that for a number of years now from whatever I recall watching. And I think India have been like that for a while too, actually but its good to see that message being reinforced in series such as this one.