5 famous overseas grounds where India has never won in Tests

An overseas Test win is a huge event in the history of a national cricket team, with each stadium where the win is scripted, gaining a memorable status amidst the cricket fans. The Indian cricket fanatic will always remember the Test wins at the WACA in Perth in 2008 and the one at Lord’s in 2014 with fondness, due to that very reason.

Yet, there are some iconic cricket grounds where the Indian Test squad has been unable to script success. Here are the 5 famed stadiums, where the Men in Blue are yet to open their account in the longest format.

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#5 Kensington Oval, Barbados (West Indies)

The Indian Test side has played at the Kensington Oval on 9 occasions, having lost 7 and drawn two. The first time the side played at the stadium was in 1952 and then again in 1961, with a loss in both.

In 1970, they escaped with a draw but after that, for five matches in succession, they were unable to go past the Windies, going down with a loss. The most recent one was in 2002, when India were shot out for 102 in the first innings, after which the hosts scored 394 in the second. The Indians were unable to put up a fight in their second innings, piling up only 290, which gave the Windies a target of 3 runs to chase down.

In their last outing at the ground, in 2011, they escaped with a draw.

#4 Old Trafford, Manchester (England)

Old Trafford in Manchester

The Indian team has set foot at Old Trafford nine times, and have managed to lose four of the nine matches, while the rest have ended in a draw.

The first time that India played a match at the stadium was in 1936, under the leadership of Maharajah of Vizianagram, which ended in a draw, after the English had piled on a mammoth score of more than 500 in the first innings. The Indian team played games at the stadium in 1946 and the first loss that they suffered was in 1952.

The team did not play a game at Old Trafford for a gap of almost twenty-four years, after 1990 but when they returned in 2014, they were unable to reverse their string of performances at this ground, going down to Alastair Cook’s side by an innings and 54 runs in just three days.

#3 Edgbaston, Birmingham (England)

India's record in Edgbaston is hardly inspiring

The Indian team’s record at Edgbaston, Birmingham reads thus – 6 games played with five losses and just a solitary draw that was eked out in 1986.

The first time the side played at the stadium was in 1967 and in their next two tours to the country, i.e., in 1974 and 1979, they were unable to garner respectability and returned with unfavourable results. After the draw in 1986, the next two outings in 1996 and 2011 ended with a loss as well.

In 2011, under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, the visitors fell for just 224 in the first innings. In reply, England pulled up a mammoth score of 710 for seven declared in the second, which was never going to save India from yet another defeat in this ground.

#2 Gabba, Brisbane (Australia)

The Gabba is a historical stadium where India has never won

Possibly one of the toughest and the most famous grounds in Australia, the Gabba in Brisbane has remained India’s nemesis ever since they first played a match here in 1947. In all, they have played 6 games at the Gabba, drawing only one in 2003. In that game, Australia had been shot out or 323 in the first innings, which was overhauled by India, who piled on 409, courtesy a fighting 144 by Sourav Ganguly. Zaheer Khan picked up 5 wickets in the first innings, and this match is always counted as one where the renewed valour of the Indian team was in full display.

Their latest outing here was in 2014. After a heart-winning performance at Adelaide in the first game of the tour under Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni was back in the second game to take over the reins but his miserable run in overseas matches as captain continued, with India succumbing to a 4-wicket defeat.

#1 Newlands, Cape Town (South Africa)

India's record in the scenic ground is dismal to say the least

The ground in Cape Town has earmarked its way to being one of the most difficult grounds for the visiting teams in South Africa. The Indian team has played here on five occasions, with two draws and three losses, including a defeat in their recent outing on this ground this year.

In 2007, Wasim Jaffer’s 116 helped India put on 414 on the board and Anil Kumble’s 4-wicket haul helped the Proteas get restricted to 373. However, 4 wickets from Dale Steyn pushed them on the back-foot once again and South Africa comfortable chased down their target of 211 in the last innings.

The game in 2011 was more evenly fought, with the hosts gaining a slender 2-run lead in the second innings. India began their tour to South Africa this year with the first game being held in Cape Town and other than Hardik Pandya’s blazing knock of 93 in 95 deliveries, there was nothing much to write about, with the Indians being unable to chase down 208 in the last innings.