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Why India cannot win Brisbane Test
Rajneesh Gupta |
December 05, 2003 05:59 IST
Last Updated: December 05, 2003 10:58 IST
Can India win the Brisbane Test?
No, if you go by what statistics have to reveal. India might draw this match, but to think about winning it is a bit too much.
If Sourav Ganguly had done his homework he would not have asked Australia to bat first after winning the toss. India has never won against Australia—neither at home nor in Australia—putting them in after winning the toss.
Ganguly provided the 41st instance of an Indian captain putting opposition into bat after winning the toss.
Out of 40 previous instances (since India started playing Test cricket) India has won only three, drawn 22 and lost 15 Tests.
The three wins were achieved against England at Lord's in 1986, against Sri Lanka at Kandy in 2001-02 and against England at Mohali also in 2001-02.
But on all these three occasions Indians managed to bowl out the opponents well below 300 in first innings. India hasn't won a Test in which opponents made more than 300 in the first innings of the match.
If, rather when, Australia gets past 300 in its first innings Friday, Indians can start planning for the second Test.
India's win-loss record after electing to field first after winning the toss:
| Opponents | M | W | L | D |
| Australia | 9 | 0 | 5 | 4 |
| England | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| New Zealand | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Pakistan | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| South Africa | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Sri Lanka | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| West Indies | 8 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
| Zimbabwe | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| TOTAL | 40 | 3 | 15 | 22 |
Matches won by India :
| Vs | Venue | Test | Season | Inn1 | Inn2 | Inn3 | Inn4 | Losing Margin |
| Eng | Lord's | 1st | 1986 | Eng 294 | Ind 341 | Eng 180 | Ind 136-5 | 5 wickets |
| SL | Kandy | 2nd | 2001-02 | SL 274 | Ind 232 | SL 221 | Ind 264-3 | 7 wickets |
| Eng | Mohali | 1st | 2001-02 | Eng 238 | Ind 469 | Eng 235 | Ind 5-0 | 10 wickets |
Matches lost by India :
| Vs | Venue | Test | Season | Inn1 | Inn2 | Inn3 | Inn4 | Losing Margin |
| Aus | Calcutta | 3rd | 1956-57 | Aus 177 | Ind 136 | Aus 189-9 | Ind 136 | 94 runs |
| Aus | Brisbane | 3rd | 1967-68 | Aus 379 | Ind 279 | Aus 294 | Ind 355 | 39 runs |
| Aus | Sydney | 4th | 1967-68 | Aus 317 | Ind 268 | Aus 292 | Ind 197 | 144 runs |
| NZ | Christchurch | 2nd | 1967-68 | NZ 502 | Ind 288 | Ind 301 | NZ 88-4 | 6 wickets |
| WI | Bangalore | 1st | 1974-75 | WI 289 | Ind 260 | WI 356-6 | Ind 118-8 | 267 runs |
| NZ | Wellington | 1st | 1980-81 | NZ 375 | Ind 223 | NZ 100 | Ind 190 | 62 runs |
| WI | Ahmedabad | 3rd | 1983-84 | WI 281 | Ind 241 | WI 201 | Ind 103 | 138 runs |
| WI | Port-of-Spain | 3rd | 1988-89 | WI 314 | Ind 150 | WI 266 | Ind 213 | 217 runs |
| Eng | Lord's | 1st | 1990 | Eng 653-4 | Ind 454 | Eng 272-4 | Ind 224 | 247 runs |
| Aus | Adelaide | 4th | 1991-92 | Aus 145 | Ind 225 | Aus 451 | Ind 333 | 38 runs |
| SAf | Durban | 1st | 1996-97 | SAF 235 | Ind 100 | SAF 259 | Ind 66 | 328 runs |
| WI | Bridgetown | 3rd | 1996-97 | WI 298 | Ind 319 | WI 140 | Ind 81 | 38 runs |
| Zim | Harare | 1st | 1998-99 | Zim 221 | Ind 280 | Zim 293 | Ind 173 | 61 runs |
| Aus | Melbourne | 2nd | 1999-00 | Aus 405 | Ind 238 | Aus 208-5 | Ind 195-9 | 180 runs |
| WI | Kingston | 5th | 2001-02 | WI 422 | Ind 212 | WI 197 | Ind 252 | 155 runs |
Summary of Indian captains inserting opponents into bat after winning the toss:
| Captain | M | W | L | D | Winning % |
| Nawab of Pataudi Sr | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
| Lala Amarnath | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
| Polly Umrigar | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Nawab of Pataudi Jr | 6 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0.00 |
| Ajit Wadekar | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
| Bishan Singh Bedi | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
| Sunil Gavaskar | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0.00 |
| Kapil Dev | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 25.00 |
| Dilip Vengsarkar | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.00 |
| Krish Srikkanth | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
| Mohammad Azharuddin | 9 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0.00 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0.00 |
| Sourav Ganguly | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 50.00 |
A detailed study of all the 1669 Tests played till date reveals the fact that among all Test playing countries, only West Indies, Australia, South Africa and Pakistan have won more Tests than they have lost after putting the opponents into bat. Sri Lankans have an even win-loss record. All others have been sufferers rather than gainers.
Result summary for all countries in matches where the captains elected to field first after winning the toss:
| Country | M | W | L | D | Winning % |
| Australia | 74 | 39 | 19 | 16 | 52.70 |
| South Africa | 27 | 14 | 7 | 6 | 51.85 |
| West Indies | 72 | 32 | 16 | 24 | 44.44 |
| Pakistan | 41 | 16 | 11 | 14 | 39.02 |
| Sri Lanka | 28 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 28.57 |
| England | 65 | 17 | 24 | 24 | 26.15 |
| New Zealand | 62 | 16 | 18 | 28 | 25.81 |
| Zimbabwe | 14 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 21.43 |
| India | 40 | 3 | 15 | 22 | 7.50 |
| Bangladesh | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0.00 |
| TOTAL | 428 | 148 | 129 | 151 | - |