23:21
soniya saxena
Sydney: 
India lost the Boxing Day Test against Australia by 122 runs despite holding the edge several times in the match. While many experts opined before the Test series that the result of the first match would decide which team would eventually dominate the contest, history indicates it may not be that simple. India, in the recent past, have been slow starters, especially on away series, but have hit back in the later Tests.
Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly recently echoed a similar sentiment in his column in an Australian newspaper. "History suggests with India touring abroad that they play better from the second Test onwards. There is a lot of cricket left to be played in this series," he said.
Since winning the Bangladesh series in January 2010, India have played four Test series abroad (not including the ongoing Australia series). Off these India have made a winning start only once, against the West Indies in June this year, where they clinched the 3-match series 1-0 courtesy their victory in the first game. Here is the result from the other three series....
India in Sri Lanka (3-match series 1-1) - 1st Test (Galle, July 18-22, 2010)
Centuries by Kumar Sangakkara and Tharanga Paranavitana helped Sri Lanka score a formidable total of 520 in the 1st innings. In reply, India followed on after being bowled out for 276 despite a hundred from Virender Sehwag and a fifty from Yuvraj Singh. Following on, India rode on fifties from Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman but were again restricted to 338, setting Sri Lanka a lowly target of 96 runs. The hosts went on to rout India by 10 wickets. MS Dhoni's team, however bounced back with a victory in the 3rd Test after the second match ended in a draw to level the series 1-1.
India in South Africa - (3-match series 1-1) - 1st Test (Centurion, Dec 16-20, 2010)
Morne Morkel's five-wicket haul tore apart India, who were bowled out for just 136 runs. In reply, the Proteas notched up a total of 620/4 decl on the back of an unbeaten double hundred by Jacques Kallis and a century each from Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers. Having conceded a huge lead of 484 runs, India looked set for doom. They fought hard in the second essay, thanks to Sachin Tendulkar's 50th Test ton and a 90 from captain MS Dhoni but even a total of 459 was not enough as South Africa won by an innings and 25 runs. India then made a comeback in Durban defeating the hosts by 87 runs. They also managed to draw the third Test to get a 1-1 result in the 3-match series.
India in England - (4-match series 0-4) - 1st Test (JLord's, July 21-25, 2011)
Kevin Pietersen drew first blood with an unbeaten 202 that took England to a challenging total of 474/8 dec in the first innings. That in part was also a result of a hamstring injury to pace spearhead Zaheer Khan that forced him out of action after bowling just 13.3 overs. In reply, the Indians surrendered meekly with only Rahul Dravid standing tall with 103 not out. India were all out for 286. The hosts then piled up 269/6 dec in the 2nd innings to set India a daunting target of 458 runs. Suresh Raina and VVS Laxman slammed fifties but could not prevent the inevitable as India folded for 261, losing the match by 196 runs. The script however didn't go like the other tours on this one. The streak of losses ceased to end as India lost all four Tests and England claimed a clean sweep.
Many experts are now predicting a similar whitewash, like the one in England, for India. However, it would be best served to not underestimate MS Dhoni's men, who have a knack of bouncing back. The venue for the second Test, Sydney Cricket Ground, is Tendulkar's favourite hunting ground. He has the best individual innings of 241, the highest tally of runs (664 in 4 Tests) and the highest average - 221.33 - at the SCG.So write off Team India and its main weapon, Tendulkar, at your own peril.
India lost the Boxing Day Test against Australia by 122 runs despite holding the edge several times in the match. While many experts opined before the Test series that the result of the first match would decide which team would eventually dominate the contest, history indicates it may not be that simple. India, in the recent past, have been slow starters, especially on away series, but have hit back in the later Tests.Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly recently echoed a similar sentiment in his column in an Australian newspaper. "History suggests with India touring abroad that they play better from the second Test onwards. There is a lot of cricket left to be played in this series," he said.
Since winning the Bangladesh series in January 2010, India have played four Test series abroad (not including the ongoing Australia series). Off these India have made a winning start only once, against the West Indies in June this year, where they clinched the 3-match series 1-0 courtesy their victory in the first game. Here is the result from the other three series....
India in Sri Lanka (3-match series 1-1) - 1st Test (Galle, July 18-22, 2010)
Centuries by Kumar Sangakkara and Tharanga Paranavitana helped Sri Lanka score a formidable total of 520 in the 1st innings. In reply, India followed on after being bowled out for 276 despite a hundred from Virender Sehwag and a fifty from Yuvraj Singh. Following on, India rode on fifties from Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman but were again restricted to 338, setting Sri Lanka a lowly target of 96 runs. The hosts went on to rout India by 10 wickets. MS Dhoni's team, however bounced back with a victory in the 3rd Test after the second match ended in a draw to level the series 1-1.
India in South Africa - (3-match series 1-1) - 1st Test (Centurion, Dec 16-20, 2010)
Morne Morkel's five-wicket haul tore apart India, who were bowled out for just 136 runs. In reply, the Proteas notched up a total of 620/4 decl on the back of an unbeaten double hundred by Jacques Kallis and a century each from Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers. Having conceded a huge lead of 484 runs, India looked set for doom. They fought hard in the second essay, thanks to Sachin Tendulkar's 50th Test ton and a 90 from captain MS Dhoni but even a total of 459 was not enough as South Africa won by an innings and 25 runs. India then made a comeback in Durban defeating the hosts by 87 runs. They also managed to draw the third Test to get a 1-1 result in the 3-match series.
India in England - (4-match series 0-4) - 1st Test (JLord's, July 21-25, 2011)
Kevin Pietersen drew first blood with an unbeaten 202 that took England to a challenging total of 474/8 dec in the first innings. That in part was also a result of a hamstring injury to pace spearhead Zaheer Khan that forced him out of action after bowling just 13.3 overs. In reply, the Indians surrendered meekly with only Rahul Dravid standing tall with 103 not out. India were all out for 286. The hosts then piled up 269/6 dec in the 2nd innings to set India a daunting target of 458 runs. Suresh Raina and VVS Laxman slammed fifties but could not prevent the inevitable as India folded for 261, losing the match by 196 runs. The script however didn't go like the other tours on this one. The streak of losses ceased to end as India lost all four Tests and England claimed a clean sweep.
Many experts are now predicting a similar whitewash, like the one in England, for India. However, it would be best served to not underestimate MS Dhoni's men, who have a knack of bouncing back. The venue for the second Test, Sydney Cricket Ground, is Tendulkar's favourite hunting ground. He has the best individual innings of 241, the highest tally of runs (664 in 4 Tests) and the highest average - 221.33 - at the SCG.So write off Team India and its main weapon, Tendulkar, at your own peril.
