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From the depths of 0-8 to 2-1 x3 – the stats behind India’s Test rise | A look at India’s Test rise from 2011 through to 2021

“I strongly want to see the Indian team dominate for at least five or six years. We certainly have the talent. We certainly have the ability. All that it will take is how you manage that and keep them together.’’

This is what Virat Kohli said back in 2015 when he succeeded MS Dhoni as Test captain.

Before I delve into this statement, let me turn the clock back to 2011/12. Well, as soon as you read 2011/12, I’m pretty sure the horrors of 0-8 in England and Australia would have come storming back in your mind. 

Well, let me tell you about how I felt at the time.

July 21, 2011. The first morning of the much-anticipated Test series between the No.1 ranked India and a red-hot English side, fresh from a historic 3-1 Ashes triumph Down Under. Leading into the series, I still remember former England seamer Darren Gough predicting a 4-0 victory for the home team.

When I first heard that, I was like; “Come on Goughy! Didn’t you see how India performed in South Africa last winter?”

Well, Goughy was right. India got absolutely hammered in England and seeds for that were sewed on the very first morning when Zaheer Khan pulled his hamstring and was ruled out of the entire series.

By the time the second season started, MS Dhoni had removed his keeping pads and was marking his bowling run-up. That pretty much summed up our fast bowling reserves at the time, didn’t it?

Or was it when the team-management called up RP Singh, who was vacationing in the US at the time, to play in the remaining Tests? 

Either way, it was pretty clear at the time that our fast bowling stocks were lower than the water table of a desert. 

“Okay, at least we have our famed batting to ensure that we draw a few matches” I thought.

Batting future looked bright, but pace bowling remained a worry

Little did I realise that the batting unit had crossed its sell-by date and it was truly evident over the course of the eight Tests in England and Australia (Dravid being a notable exception in England)

However, I was still not concerned about our batting future. With the likes of Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma, I still felt that we’ll be back to our best in that facet of the game when the golden generation retires.

It was our bowling – especially fast bowling – that concerned me (and I am sure, every Indian fan) the most.

“How the hell are we going to take 20 wickets overseas after Zak (Zaheer Khan)?” The mere thought of Team India post Zaheer used to scare the hell out of me.

And, it was quite evident during the 2013/14 overseas cycle where our batters were pretty decent (barring last three Tests in England), but bowlers constantly squandered opportunities.  

Yes, Ishant Sharma was there, and we did have the talent in Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami. But, then, talent has never been an issue in Indian cricket.

Throughout the 2000s and even before that, Indian cricket had enough promising fast bowlers in their system. But, they were never nurtured. They started off as fast bowlers but due to a combination of injuries and poor management, ended up becoming medium pacers before slowly disappearing into oblivion.

How a change in focus drove India’s Test rise overseas

Nine years later, the Indian team landed in Australia to play a four-match Test series without their senior most bowler in Ishant Sharma.

To make matters worse, Mohammed Shami had his arm broken by a Pat Cummins bouncer in a horrible first Test for India, and was ruled out for the remaining Tests.

It didn’t stop there. Umesh Yadav pulled up during his follow through in the second Test and was consigned to the bench. Jasprit Bumrah got injured in the next Test and was ruled out of the decider at the Gabba.

India’s fast bowling-unit at the Gabba consisted of Mohammed Siraj (2 Tests), T Natarajan (debut), Shardul Thakur (1 Test) and an injured Navdeep Saini (1 Test). They’d taken a combined 13 wickets and were up against one of the greatest fast bowling attacks of the modern-era: Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.

A mismatch of epic proportions, right? Of course it was. But not for one moment did it look like that over the course of the next five days as the rookies outbowled their famed counterparts to lead India to a historic series win.

More than the final result and the wickets they took. It was the body language of Siraj, Shardul and Natarajan that stood out.

In the past, there are several examples of inexperienced Indian seamers who used to get overwhelmed bowling in overseas conditions. But these group of men made it look like they have been playing top-level cricket for decades.

So, what changed from 2011 to 2021?

Well, there are a bunch of reasons apart from the most obvious ones such as unreal improvement in infrastructure right from the grassroots, and the increased exposure of the fringe players to overseas conditions via A tours.

Firstly, let’s go back to the statement Virat made in 2015, I mentioned at the beginning of this piece.

India were ranked number 7 in the world when Virat took over the leadership duties from Dhoni during the 2014/15 Australian tour. In that series, our fast bowling got marmilized to the hilt by the likes of David Warner and a certain Steven Smith, who was at the peak of his powers [Well, he still is].

In his first home series against South Africa, India dished out rank-turners and pumped the then No.1 ranked side 3-0. But, that wasn’t a new thing, right? Beating a non-Asian team on spin-friendly tracks on home soil is hardly a feat to be proud of. It’s normal service.

But, Virat knew that if India were to become an all-conditions Test team, they needed to take 20 wickets and that wasn’t possible without a battery of pacers.

So, when the 2016/17 home season arrived, we saw India dish out flat tracks to the likes of New Zealand and England, and still won comprehensively. Umesh Yadav feasted on the opposition batters with reverse-swing while Ishant Sharma performed the role of a workhorse. Ashwin and Jadeja did their thing despite lack of substantial assistance from the surfaces.

India pulverized every opposition during their extended home season and while they got challenged by Australia, they still managed to win the four-match rubber 2-1. They were crowned the No.1 ranked team in the world during the home season, but stiffer challenges awaited the team as tours of South Africa, England and Australia loomed. 

And, thus started the golden phase of Indian seam bowling.

How Virat Kohli, Ravi Shastri and Bharat Arun helped drive a culture of fast bowling

One of the biggest legacy of Virat the Test captain is the fact that he instilled a fitness culture in the set-up, which ultimately benefited the fast bowlers. Of course, the fact that he was always willing to play one batter less for a bowler, helped immensely.

In all this, let us not forget the role that former bowling coach Bharat Arun and coach Shastri played. The success of the current Test team is built on its imperious fast bowling unit and the quality reserves it has on the bench – something that was on full display in Australia last winter. Arun is perhaps the hidden diamond in the crown of this Test team, who needs to be appreciated more than he is.

And, perhaps, the turning point in India’s fast bowling revolution came in South Africa in 2018 when Virat and Shastri took a punt on Jasprit Bumrah by handing him his maiden Test cap in Cape Town.

It was a decision that was met with a lot of apprehension, even from former cricketers like Michael Holding.

Well, over the course of the next three years, Bumrah proved it was a masterstroke for the ages as the Indian seam-bowling had its X-Factor it was desperately craving for decades. Also, the incarnation of Ishant 2.0 following his fruitful County stint and Mohammed Shami”s improved fitness ensured that India now had a seam-bowling trio to die for.

India went on to lose in South Africa (1-2) and in England (1-4) due to the inability of their batsmen to win key moments and dare I say, the struggles of their bowlers in dismissing the tail.

But, the signs were promising. The fast bowling unit dominated and sometimes outbowled their counterparts. It continued its stellar work in Australia and this time, they were supported by their batsmen. As a result, Virat became the first Asian captain to script a Test series win in Australia. 

Performance of India in Tests since 2018

And, it’s the pacers who laid the cornerstone for that triumph, just like they did in Australia earlier this year and then in England last summer.

Performance of some of the leading seam bowling attacks since the start of 2018:

Under Virat, India remained the No.1 Test team for 42 consecutive months and their success wasn’t only a byproduct of their incredible home dominance but also brilliant performances overseas. 

And, the tables below vindicate that point to the hilt.

Teams with best W/L ratio in Tests since Jan 2016:

In home conditions, India have built a fortress like no other. While they were always a dominant force at home, one significant change that took place under Virat was that the team didn’t contend with winning just one Test and playing for draws in the rest to eke out a series win.

India have been absolutely ruthless in their own backyard, crushing opposition to the hilt.

Since Virat took over the Test captaincy, India have dropped just two Tests – vs Australia in 2017 & vs England in 2021 – and their W/L ratio is a ridiculous 11.

Teams with best W/L ratio on home soil since January 2016:

As far as performance away from home during the said period is concerned, India have beaten West Indies (2-0, 2-0 in 2016, 19), Sri Lanka (3-0 in 2017), Australia (2-1 & 2-1 in 2018/19 and 2020/21) and are 2-1 up in England.

Teams with best W/L ratio overseas since January 2016

Yes, there have been set-backs like the 1-2 and 0-2 defeat in South Africa (2018) New Zealand (2020)) and the WTC final loss to the same opposition earlier this year.

But, just like this last summer where this team right the wrongs of 2018 in England, they will have another golden opportunity to further cement their legacy when they travel to South Africa next month.

A maiden series win in South Africa will make Virat Kohli the first Indian skipper to win a Test rubber in Australia, and the rainbow nation and it would be fitting if he achieves the feat in what will be his 100th Test at the Wanderers – the venue for the third Test of the series.

This is the greatest Indian Test team ever assembled on the face of earth, and a win in South Africa will further seal their legacy, if it hasn’t already!

Written by Yash Mittal. Follow Yash on Twitter today.