India Tour of England: Five of India's biggest innings defeats in history

On Sunday, England thrashed India by an innings and 244 runs, handing the tourists their third-worst Test defeat of all time. Here we take a look at five of India's worst innings defeats:

1) India v/s England, 2nd Test, Lord's, 1974 (England win by an innings and 285 runs): This Test match will forever be remembered for India being all out for just 42 in the second innings. India started the England tour with an aura of invincibility, having beaten the home side in England in 1971 and West Indies in West Indies the same year. After beating England at home in 1972-73, India were favourites to win the England series.

India lost the first Test by 113 runs, but England only achieved the victory in the final overs of the 5th day. However, the second Test at Lord's will never be forgotten. England ran up 629 in the first innings, and then bowled out India for 302. After trailing by 327 runs, India were asked to follow on, and at the end of the third day they were 2 for no loss. However, on the fourth day, India collapsed to 42 all out by 1 pm the next day, with Eknath Solkar the only man to reach double figures at 18 not out. 

2) India v/s England, 5th Test, The Oval, 2014 (England win by an innings and 244 runs): India had lost the fourth Test by an innings and 54 runs, collapsing in both innings. After going 1-0 up at Lord's, India had lost the next two tests by 266 runs and an innings and 54 runs. Coming into the 5th Test, there was an air of desperation around the side.

However, India's batting woes continued. This time there was no excuse - unlike Manchester, the Oval wicket was reasonably flat. Gautam Gambhir, who had been brought in for Shikhar Dhawan in the 4th Test, failed in both innings, and so did Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane - who had been performing well until the 3rd Test. Captain MS Dhoni was the only exception, scoring 82 in the first innings out of an Indian total of 148. When Dhoni failed in the second, India were bowled out for 94. In between, England amassed 486 and rain came down. Yet it could not prevent an Indian defeat in under three days for the second consecutive match.

3) India v/s England, 3rd Test, Birmingham, 2011 (England win by an innings and 242 runs): This tour of England was where India began their descent into the abyss, after having won the World Cup at home and several Test victories outside the subcontinent over the past decade. What happened was disaster, to say the least. India lost the first two Tests by 196 runs and 319 runs, and then in the third, allowed England to score 710 after making a meager 224 in the first innings. Four of England's top five crossed 50, and Alastair Cook ran up 294 - 70 more than India had scored. India's second innings was not far better, with only MS Dhoni (74) and Sachin Tendulkar (40) offering some resistance. India were all out for 244 and England had won by a massive margin. 

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4) India v/s Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Colombo, 2008 (Sri Lanka won by an innings and 239 runs): India had come off a grueling home series against South Africa, where they had lost the first Test by an innings thanks to Dale Steyn's devastation on a flat track, and barely managed to win the third by playing on a wicket that was turning square. In Sri Lanka, India were bamboozled by a new spin wizard named Ajantha Mendis. After Sri Lanka ran up 600/6 in the first innings, India were undone by Mendis and Muralitharan, who took 9 wickets between them, bowling India out for 223. Asked to follow on, India did worse, folding for just 138 and giving Sri Lanka the victory by an innings and 239 runs.

5) India v/s Australia, 3rd Test, Sydney, 2000 (Australia won by an innings and 141 runs): India came into the 3rd Test 0-2 down and the series lost, with only Sachin Tendulkar showing form. The series outcome (0-3) was predicted by then BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele, which had causing some outrage. However, by the time the third Test began, it was painfully clear that all of India's batsmen bar Tendulkar were out of their depth on the faster pitches of Australia. The third Test was in Sydney, traditionally considered a good batting track, so a better performance was expected.

However, India folded for 150 in the first innings and then allowed Australia to amass 552. The collapse resumed in the second innings, and had it not been for a (very young) VVS Laxman's fabulous 167, India would have folded under 100. India finished at 261 all out with Laxman the eighth wicket to fall. Australia had won by an innings and 141 runs and the humiliation under Sachin Tendulkar's captaincy was complete. Here are the video highlights of the match:

Watch VVS Laxman's innings here: