The Last Time India Were Bowled Out Below 100 In Away Test, They Roared Back Brilliantly: Dinesh Karthik

Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik said that India will roar back against England in the upcoming Test at Kennington Oval in London.

After winning at Lord’s by 151 runs, India slumped down in Leeds by an innings and 76 runs as England levelled the series 1-1. The turning point of the match happened on the first day itself as England bowlers led by James Anderson bowled out India for 78.

England took a massive lead of 354 in the first innings and despite some fightback displayed by the Indian batters on the third day, the match was over inside the first session of Day4.

Knowing the Indian team, they will take on board the lessons learnt and quickly move on: Dinesh Karthik

Karthik reminded everyone of India’s comeback story against Australia earlier this year, where they were all out for 36 in Adelaide and then they chases 329 in Brisbane to win the series 2-1.

“Leeds was a humbling experience, without a doubt, but there is too much experience and quality in the Indian ranks for them to be bogged down by a Test match in which nothing went right. Knowing them, they will take on board the lessons learnt and quickly move on, which is most prudent given the short turnover between matches and with a series still to be won,” Karthik wrote in his column for The Telegraph. 

“The last time India were bowled out for less than 100 in an away Test, they roared back brilliantly to beat the Australian lion in its own den in the winter. In that sense, they have a little bit of history to fall back on, and the Leeds defeat will spur them to do better in the two remaining Tests,” he added.

For India’s middle-order batsmen, what better ground to rediscover run-scoring ways than the Oval: Dinesh Karthik

The last time India won a Test series was in 2007 under Rahul Dravid’s leadership where they won the second Test in Nottingham to take a 1-0 lead. India had to force a draw against England in the third and final Test at Oval.

Dinesh Karthik (91) and Sachin Tendulkar (82) laid the foundation for India with MS Dhoni scoring blistering 92 as India posted a mammoth total of 664 in the first innings. Dhoni smacked four sixes around the park and the match was remembered for leg-spinner Anil Kumble’s only Test hundred (110).

Karthik believes India’s middle-order batsmen will make amendments to their technique and rediscover their form at the Oval.

“When India last won a series in England in 2007, Anil Kumble got our only hundred of the series in the final Test at The Oval, but there were five other fifties — including 90s from MS Dhoni and myself — in our first-innings 664, reiterating the significance of the collective.

“Virat, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, India’s three most experienced batsmen, have only one fifty each in five innings apiece. But knowing how much pride they take in making a difference, they will be itching to correct that anomaly as we approach the business end of the series. What better ground to rediscover run-scoring ways than The Oval?”

The fourth Test will start on Thursday (September 2) at the Kennington Oval in London.

Also Read: England vs India 2021: Rishabh Pant Doesn’t Need To Change Anything Drastically – Dinesh Karthik