Test cricket history stands against India at Guwahati with only miracle territory left

Team India is in deep trouble in the second Test against South Africa at Guwahati after being dismissed for just 201 in their first innings. India had conceded a whopping 489 in the first innings, allowing South Africa to take a 288-run lead. Their overall lead now stands at 314 after South Africa ended Day 3 on 26/0 in their second innings.

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Having already lost the first match of the two-Test series by 30 runs in Kolkata, India need to win at Guwahati to avoid a series whitewash, but a defeat now looks the most likely result.

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Test cricket history stands against India at Guwahati

The history also supports the same argument, as since 1934, India have won only 10 out of the 103 Test matches in which they have bowled first and witnessed the opposition score over 400 runs or more.

The good news is that most of those victories have come in the modern era. Since 2010, India have allowed the opposition to score 400 runs or more in the first innings of a match on 26 occasions. But India have also won six out of these 26 Test matches and drawn eight. They have lost 11 of those matches.

However, one needs to notice that the victories for India after conceding 400 runs or more in the first innings came when they replied with big totals. For example, in the Adelaide Test in 2003 against Australia. The Aussies made 556 in the first innings, but India replied with a solid 523 as Rahul Dravid made 233 and VVS Laxman struck 148. In the second innings, Australia were bowled out for 196 as India successfully chased down 230.

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In 2016 against England at Chennai, the visitors made 477 batting first, but India replied with 759/7 after Karun Nair made a triple ton. England were later bowled out for 207 in the second innings as India won by an innings and 75 runs.

Unlike Adelaide and Chennai, India were bowled out for just 201 in their first innings in the ongoing Test at Guwahati after South Africa made 489 in the first innings. In such a scenario, making a comeback looks almost impossible.

Also, another stat says that in the history of Test cricket, India have conceded 450 runs or more in the first innings some 37 times. In these 37 matches, they have only won thrice.