LISTICLE
Follow Us2010: Back-to-back defeats against Zimbabwe in tri-series
In May 2010, just a couple of weeks after the 2010 T20 World Cup, India sent a young, inexperienced squad led by Suresh Raina for the tri-series in Zimbabwe in which Sri Lanka also participated. It was Sri Lanka who began the tri-series as favourites due to possessing a full-strength squad, but India was, at the very least, expected to make the final.
However, in what proved to be an utterly embarrassing ten days, India exited Zimbabwe with three losses in four games and failed to make it to the final.
The team suffered two absolute obliterations at the hands of Zimbabwe, who, led by Elton Chigumbura, humiliated the visitors and made it to the final alongside Sri Lanka.
2014: Losing 4-0 away in New Zealand
In 2014, India entered a scheduled five-match ODI series against New Zealand, winning five of their previous six ODI series. The Men in Blue were the number one ranked side in the world then and were expected to go toe-to-toe with the Blackcaps, thanks to having a full-strength squad at their disposal.
However, India shockingly failed to win a single ODI, losing the series 4-0. Three of the four defeats were comprehensive, and New Zealand would have won 5-0 had it not been for a heroic effort from Ravindra Jadeja in the third ODI of the series that helped the visitors enforce a tie.
It was a series in which India’s batting unit outside of Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni had an absolute shocker. All of Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane averaged under 30.00 in good batting conditions, with Rahane registering an average of 10.20.
With the ball, Ravichandran Ashwin picked up just one wicket in five games, finishing the series with an average of 227.
2015: Exiting tri-series vs England & Australia winless
The 2015 World Cup is remembered as the lowest point in England’s ODI history, but a month before the mega event, even ‘that’ England managed to beat India in consecutive games.
This particular tri-series involving the now Big Three — India, Australia and England — was expected to be a blockbuster. But it instead turned out to be an extremely underwhelming affair thanks to India’s horror show in the competition.
The Men in Blue failed to win a single game in the series, losing twice against England and once against hosts Australia.
In one infamous morning at the Gabba, they got rolled over for 153 by the Three Lions, who chased down the target with 23 overs to spare, while losing a solitary wicket.
That the Men in Blue had a full-strength squad at their disposal made their showing in the series all the more embarrassing.
Kohli averaging 8.00 across four games summed up India’s series.
2015: 2-1 series defeat away in Bangladesh
Fresh off a strong showing at the 2015 World Cup, where they reached the semis, India toured Bangladesh for a three-match ODI series. The Men in Blue, who had never previously lost a bilateral series against Bangladesh, entered the series as strong favorites since they pretty much fielded the same XI they did at the World Cup.
However, they were left shell-shocked by a certain debutant named Mustafizur Rahman, who picked 11 wickets across the first two games to bowl the Tigers to their first-ever series win over India.
A five-fer from Mustafizur on debut helped Bangladesh take a 1-0 lead, registering a thumping 79-run win. He then backed it up with a six-fer in the second game, where Bangladesh chased down 200 with nine overs to spare to storm to the biggest series win in their history.
Bangladesh have since made it back-to-back bilateral wins over India, on the back of winning the three-match series in 2022 (2-1).
2022: 3-0 whitewash away in South Africa
Having won only one of the four ODI series they had played since the start of 2021, including drawing a series against Ireland, not many expected South Africa to do serious damage against a very strong Indian side.
This series was happening on the back of a successful Test series for the Proteas but still, India were strong favorites. Every big gun barring Rohit Sharma (including Jasprit Bumrah) played the series.
However, in a result that almost no one saw coming, India ended up suffering a 3-0 whitewash. They comprehensively lost the first two games before squandering the third ODI from a winning position.
It was a series to forget for India in every sense. Absolutely nothing clicked, and the capitulation in the third ODI summed up the entire tour for the Men in Blue.
If you’ve not downloaded the Cricket.com app yet, you’re missing out — big time. Play Fantasy on Cricket.com NOW! Download the App here.
