Aug 19: No offence to the English, but this Indian team did their fair share to ensure that a woeful overseas record would remain so. Despite an unexpected victory, or maybe because of it, the visitors felt it unnecessary to bother winning the series.
0-4, Australia 1947-8
Facing Bradman
The Indians lost the series 0-4, a result that appears all the more mystifying given the Indian performance in the first class matches of the tour. Before the first Test at Brisbane, the captain Lala Amarnath had established himself as the true leader with a grand 228 against Victoria, an innings Victor Richardson ranked as "one of the greatest ever played" in Australia. Mankad was regarded as the world's premier slow bowler, even better than Hedley Verity.
In fact, not even the most ardent of Australian supporters anticipated the rout that followed. And this rout was almost singlehandedly orchestrated by Donald Bradman. The 39-year-old Bradman was still at his best and his scores - 156 for South Australia, 172 for an Australian XI, (his hundredth first class hundred), 185 in the first Test, 132 and 127 not out in the Third Test, 201 in the fourth Test and 57 retired hurt in the fifth - bear testimony to his contemptuous dominance of the Indian at ..
0-3, England 1952
Despite Mankad
This ranks as one of the worst-ever series losses in the history of Indian cricket because India suffered the ignominy of being reduced to 0 for 4 at Headingley against the fast and fiery Freddie Trueman. Many say the Indians were scared of facing Trueman and capitulated tamely. However, the series did have a silver lining in the form of Vinoo Mankad at Lord's.
Five wickets for 196 runs and two batting efforts of 72 and 184 - Mankad had made Lord's his own even if in a losing cause. Such an allround performance had never before been accomplished in a Test match. SK Gurunathan, in remembering the effort contends, "I had never seen in my life, not altogether devoid of cricketing experiences, such a thrilling performance. To a man, the Lord's crowd rose and cheered Mankad all the way back to the pavilion when he was out."
0-5, West Indies 1962
Knocked Out in Windies
The Indian team, which looked composed and resolute at home, was suddenly in disarray in the West Indies. Faced with hostile fast bowling, the Indian weakness overseas was exposed and skipper Nari Contractor's career-ending injury had all but destroyed the morale of the side. Wess Hall and Charlie Griffith had successfully terrorised the Indians and the 0-5 defeat seemed an inevitable outcome.
Only Umrigar with a brilliant 172 at Port of Spain stood up against the West Indies challenge. The sudden turn in events after Contractor's injury placed the young Tiger Pataudi in charge, regarded by many as one of India's bestever captains.
0-4, England 2011
End of a Batting Era
Having played one two day game in Taunton, the Indians turned up at Lord's totally underprepared. And with Zaheer Khan limping off early on in the second session on Day 1 at Lord's with a hamstring injury, the series just went from bad to worse.
Giving up on a serious opportunity at Trentbridge when England was reduced to 124-8, India slipped to a 0-4 drubbing with the team touching 300 just once in 8 innings. It was time up for India's golden generation of batsmen who had made the team the best in the world in 2009.
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