Explaining India’s miserable Test cricket performance in 2011/2012

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Today when I reminded a friend not to lose hope in Indian cricket (after recent whitewash in England and Australia), another friend commented, 
प्रसून जी , यह भारतीय क्रिकेट है ..यहाँ पर हर विक्टरी दुसरे दिन पुरानी हो जाती है …You have to perform at your best … After all they are getting unexpected money. They should deliver the goods as per citizens expectations…
My reply to my friend was, 
Agreed, they need to perform… And here’s my explanation of our recent performance… After Aussie dominance ended a few years ago with Warne/Gilchrist/McGrath/others retiring, we’ve hit a period where most top Test teams are equal (Eng/Aus/SA/SL/Ind)… As a result, the #1 Test team in last 2-3 years has been the team that played most games at HOME. And I expect this trend to continue. Here’s some proof: India became #1 by playing all strong team at home in 2008-10 period… So did England in 2010-11 and became #1… now look at what Pak is doing to Eng outside Eng (down by 2-0)Aussies won at home 4-0 against us in 2011/12 but India beat Aus 2-0 not too long ago (at HOME)…



Now, don’t misunderstand me… I’m not saying India’s terrible performance is okay. It is NOT. Indian fans deserve to be pissed. Recent performance is terrible. Several innings defeat. No one firing. Giving up so easily. Really bad. But I’m highlighting the fact that the current years will cause joy and heart break for fans depending on where their teams are playing (Home games will bring JOY and Away games will BREAK THEIR HEARTS). Cricket fans, let us prepare ourselves for this. Our team’s Test cricket performance will more or less depend on where they’re playing (checkout ICC’s Future Tours Program). Test cricket ranking won’t mean much! Wasim Akram feels the same way.


Here are some charts that explain my point of view… 

1) See how India played more tests at home between 2008 and 2010. In 2011/12, they’ve mostly AWAY games. Similarly, in 2011 England played mostly at HOME





2) Notice how we see more RED (losses) than GREEN (wins) in the charts below, India and England’s performance in AWAY games





3) Notice how we see more GREEN (wins) than RED (losses) in the charts below, India and England’s performance in HOME games




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