India have never won a Test series in either Australia (in 10 visits) and South Africa (in six visits). It's probably the biggest blemish in Indian cricket's CV, something the Indian cricket fraternity, especially the board, should be seized with. It's a frustrating reality Indian cricket has been living with despite the playing talent and resources it has and the massive support the game enjoys in the country.
Treating this nagging 'pain in the neck' should have been one of the major goals for the Indian team. But the single-minded focus towards the mission has been lacking, it seems. Remember, how the Australians in the Steve Waugh era made India their "final frontier", making the maiden series win here their avowed objective. While Australia's failed to get the job done under Waugh, coming tantalizingly close during that epic series in 2001, Ricky Ponting led the team to a historic 2-1 victory in 2004-05, capping years of planning and preparation.
Hansie Cronje, South Africa's fiercely competitive skipper, also made winning a first Test series in India one of his top priorities. And it did not take his team long to make the dream come true as India lost the 1999-2000 home series 0-2. England, too, came to our shores late in 2012 with hopes of causing an upset of sorts - India had not lost a home series in many, many years. Alastair Cook's men bounced back after losing the first Test to clinch the series 2-1. And Cook declared that the success was "as big as an Ashes win."
The moral of the story is that just as great players revel in all conditions, great teams also perform in all conditions, especially alien ones, or at least fight the odds manfully. The bigger the challenge, the more charged up they are. The history of the game tells us that. Sourav Ganguly, who led India's metamorphosis from being pushovers to fighters abroad, keeps stressing that the true indicator of a player's or team's greatness is their performance away from home. That is not to say that achievements at home have no meaning but a claim to greatness has to be backed by performance all around.
ARE WE READY TO GO THROUGH THE GRIND?
One is not sure how important India winning a Test series in Australia or South Africa is for the nation's cricket board because often, the planning and effort has left something to be desired. The intense desire to challenge the best and to be the best seems lacking.
The way the South African tour was scheduled itself tells a tale. It was a short trip when the team had no time to acclimatize to the conditions vastly different from home. An underprepared team with many first-timers up against the No. 1 Test team in the world was nothing but a lambs-to-the-slaughter scenario. The result was only expected.
IPL flourishes and limited-overs exploits notwithstanding, it's the Tests which are the true examination of a cricketer's worth. The players will themselves vouch for it. But India's recent away record is pathetic. And the way things have gone in the last two-three years, it's difficult to see how India can reverse the tide.
Greatness is hard to achieve. India will have to be prepared to run the long miles and walk the hard yards. Only then they can challenge the best in the world on away tours. But do they want to make that effort? Does it fit into BCCI's scheme of things? One has one's doubts.
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