5 outstanding Indian openers who failed in England

3. Pankaj Roy (223 runs in 17 innings)

Fred Trueman was Pankaj Roy's nemesis in the 1952 tour

Pankaj Roy, the Bengal opener, famously remembered for his world-record 413 runs opening partnership with Vinoo Mankad against New Zealand at Chennai in 1956, did well in the away series against West Indies and Pakistan, but had a torrid time in England.

In his first tour to England in 1952, Pankaj Roy struggled against the legendary debutant fast bowler Fred Trueman. In the second innings of the first Test at Leeds, Roy was the first to fall against Trueman on 0 as India soon tottered to 0/4.

In the next three Test matches, Roy registered four consecutive ducks, out which the last three were the courtesy of Fred Trueman. In the horrific trip of 1952, the opener scored 54 runs in seven innings with five ducks.

Roy improved the numbers on his following tour in 1959, where he scored 54 and 49 in the first Test at Nottingham, where India lost by an innings and 59 runs. His form dipped once again, as he could muster only 76 runs in his next 8 knocks.

Batting record in England:

9 Tests, 17 innings, 233 runs, Batting average 13.7 , 100’s - 0, 50’s - 1, 0’s - 7