For the first time in more than 10 years, India Concede 500 Outside Asia in a Test match. If you’re an Indian fan, you’ll feel that sting. In the last decade, the team had made huge progress in conditions where they used to struggle, places like England, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand. They went an entire 10-year stretch without letting India Concede 500 Outside Asia or in the West Indies. That’s a massive shift from the past, especially since in the 10 years before that, they gave up 500 16 times, including two nightmare tours of England and Australia in 2011-12.
What changed? India built strong Test teams with world-class spinners dominating at home and a fearsome pace attack abroad. From 2018 onwards, their fast bowlers were quick, consistent, fit, and reliable. That gave them control even in tough overseas conditions and ensured India rarely had to watch their bowlers crumble.
But now, things are different. India is in a transition phase, and the leader of the pace attack, Jasprit Bumrah, can no longer play every game. The third day of the current Test at Old Trafford showed signs that India Concede 500 Outside Asia once again, which was unthinkable just a few years ago.
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Kamboj’s Struggles on Debut Raise Tough Questions
The biggest talking point of the match was Anshul Kamboj’s debut, which sadly added to the list of games where India Concede 500 Outside Asia. This debut reminded fans of Pankaj Singh’s painful outing in 2014, when he went wicketless and gave away 179 runs. Or R Vinay Kumar in 2012, who got smashed in Perth.
Kamboj’s case is more surprising. He is in his prime and has been through various stages of Indian cricket. Coaches in Haryana believed he was made for Test cricket. He earned praise from MS Dhoni and R Ashwin. Despite all this, his performance failed to stop yet another match where India Concede 500 Outside Asia.
On day three, when India desperately needed a spark, Kamboj’s pace dropped from 128.26 km/h to 125.34 km/h. He couldn’t build pressure, and Joe Root took control, scoring freely. This poor performance gave more fuel to the worry that India Concede 500 Outside Asia not just by bad luck, but due to weak planning.
Even bowling coach Morne Morkel was confused. In IPL games and nets, Kamboj regularly bowled over 135 km/h. Yet his fastest in the Test was only 134.58 km/h. Morkel confirmed Kamboj was fully fit. So the blame may lie with team management for poor decision-making, which eventually resulted in India Concede 500 Outside Asia yet again.
Confused Selection and Fatigue Hurt India Deeply
To be fair, it’s not just Kamboj. This Indian team lacks a clear plan. Even their win in Birmingham came from two bowlers getting 17 wickets, a one-off. Now, unsure of strategy, they included Shardul Thakur but barely bowled him. This confused approach once again saw India Concede 500 Outside Asia, something they had managed to avoid for 10 years.
Jasprit Bumrah, while still dangerous, is also struggling. His pace has dropped significantly over three Tests, and now he reached 140 km/h just once at Old Trafford. That’s not the Bumrah who once led a fearsome attack that made sure India didn’t Concede 500 Outside Asia.
India’s strength abroad used to be tight, consistent bowling. But that confidence has faded. This match needed a game-changer like Kuldeep Yadav, but he was seen only carrying drinks. Without him, or any Plan B, India’s bowling looked clueless, and yet again, India Concede 500 Outside Asia, a painful reality.
The team seems unsure about how to win. They try to balance everything, but end up doing nothing with certainty. Because of this indecision, India Concede 500 Outside Asia when they had the tools to prevent it. Now they must rely on their deep batting lineup to stay alive in the series.
From dominance to doubt, the change has been quick. Ten years of excellence meant India Concede 500 Outside Asia was unheard of. But at Old Trafford, the wheels came off, and the scoreboard told the story.
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