India are faced with yet another series decider in a new year as it was only at the beginning of last year that they confronted a similar scenario in Australia. The 2021 match at Brisbane, Gabba, is still fresh in everyone’s memory as the visitors not only defeated the hosts but also conquered a new bastion. The situation is somewhat the same this time against South Africa in the series-deciding Cape Town Test also, but Indians are feeling the heat right now with middle-order batting proving to be a major cause of concern. However, we don’t intend to wade into the familiar territory as the time is more appropriate for a peep into the Indian team’s performance in the last few series deciders.
India VS West Indies (Kingston, 2002)
With the series hanging in balance (1-1) in the five-match series, both teams had everything to play for. India led by a new captain Sourav Ganguly were searching for that elusive away series win and West Indies led by Carl Hooper were looking to salvage some pride at home. The host never allowed any breathing space to the visitors as they scored 422 batting first and dismissed Indians for 212. Then the Windies set up a daunting 408 runs chase for India by scoring 197 in their second essay on a pitch with variable bounce. Despite a fighting 86 by Sachin Tendulkar, the Indian team lost the game by 155 runs and the rare chance of winning an overseas Test Series went up in flames as well.
India VS West Indies (Kingston, 2006)
Four years later India were yet again locked in a series-deciding Test with West Indies at the same venue as that of 2002. However, Rahul Dravid, the current Team India head coach, was leading the Indian side and Brian Lara happened to be the rival captain. In a low-scoring affair, India after batting first folded up for 200 and then dismissed the Windies in their first innings for 103. In the second essay, India scored 171 runs and set Windies a target of 269. But the home team could only manage 219 and the visitors took the match as well as series (1-0). This happened to be India’s first series win in the Caribbean islands after 35 years ie 1971.
India VS Sri Lanka (Colombo, 2015)
This happened to be another occasion when India were chasing not only a win but history as well. Prior to this India never won a series in the Emerald Island and with the series in a delicate balance at 1-1 the team got another shot at scripting history. Lankans led by Angelo Mathews put Virat Kohli-led India into bat, which looked like a good decision till Cheteshwar Pujara (145) and Amit Mishra (59) got together and strung a century stand to get India to a competitive total of 312. Then India dismissed the Lankans for 201 in the hosts’ first essay, giving India a substantial lead of 111 runs. In the second innings, India managed another decent total of 274 and gave a target of 386 runs for the hosts to chase. But Sri Lankans, already crushed by the huge total, could just manage 268 and India apart from winning the crucial match also got their first series victory in the island nation.
India VS Australia (Brisbane, 2021)
That Team India after missing out on some key players, including Kohli, reached this far to be locked in a series decider (1-1) with host Australia was itself an incredible achievement. Odds were clearly not in favour of India as not only them but no other nation has beaten Australia in Brisbane in recent times. However, destiny had something else in store for India as an injury-plagued side breached the impregnable Gabba fortress to win the Test by 3 wickets to chase down 328 on the last day of the Test, thanks in no small measure to Rishabh Pant’s unbeaten 98. So, in the end, Ajinkya Rahane-led relatively new side won against Tim Paine-led experienced side 2-1. This happened to be Team India’s second consecutive Test series win in Australia after the 2018 triumph.
