How India Created History With Win Over Bangladesh in the First Test

By Mohd Faisal Hakak Last updated Sep 24, 2024

India kicked off their home series against Bangladesh with a commanding 280-run victory at Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, where Ravichandran Ashwin shone with a six-wicket haul to go along with his century in the first innings.

This win was India’s 179th in their Test cricket history, marking the first time they achieved a higher number of wins than losses in the longest format of the game. India’s inaugural Test match took place in 1932 under the captaincy of CK Naidu, resulting in a 158-run loss. Since that debut, the team had struggled to surpass their total number of losses with wins in red ball cricket.

Men in Blue have played 581 test matches in their history, winning 179 and losing 178. India secured its first Test victory in 1952 against England at the same venue in Chennai, where they recently celebrated their 179th win against Bangladesh.

Apart from India, Australia, England, South Africa, and Pakistan also boast a positive win-loss ratio in test cricket.

Australia: Wins 414; Loss 232

England: Wins 397; Loss 325

South Africa: Wins 179; Loss 161

India: Wins 179; Loss 178

Pakistan: Wins 148; Loss 144

Team India irresistible on home soil

Team India has won 16 consecutive home test series, with their eyes set on making it 17 in the ongoing series against Bangladesh. Their last test series defeat came all the way back in 2012 against England where the home side lost the 4-match series 2-1.

Only Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja from the current squad have tasted defeat in a test series on home soil highlighting their domination in red ball format. Even the opposing teams recognize that they are essentially up against overwhelming odds. In every interaction that the Bangladeshi players had with the media in recent days, the common sentiment was, “Yes, we won in Pakistan, but Team India is a different kettle of fish”

“I think beating India in India is a far higher thing to strive for right now. They’re virtually unbeatable in India since we beat them in 2012. Why isn’t that the whole thing? Why aren’t people saying ‘right, this is a chance to get this team with good players of spin, use their feet, change the whole way we face spin bowling, and then we can beat India’,” Graeme Swann said who was a part of the England squad in 2012, said in 2021.

The second test against Bangladesh will be played from 27 September at Green Park in Kanpur with Rohit Sharma keen to book their spot in the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) before the Australia tour begins.

Mohd Faisal Hakak

Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.