India's Struggles in Chasing Targets: A Post-Tendulkar Analysis
India Falls Short in Chase at Lord's
Ravindra Jadeja showcased remarkable resilience, while tailenders Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj exceeded expectations, yet Team India ultimately fell short by 22 runs in their pursuit of 193 runs at the iconic Lord's, leaving them trailing 1-2 in the series.
Post-Tendulkar Era Challenges
Since the retirement of cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, Team India has struggled despite having star players like Virat Kohli and solid batsmen such as KL Rahul, Ajinkya Rahane, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Rishabh Pant. The team appears to be grappling with the challenges of the post-Tendulkar era.
Since December 2013, India has successfully chased down a target of over 150 runs in Test matches only twice, suffering 17 losses and drawing seven times since Tendulkar's retirement from Test cricket in November 2013.
Successful 150+ Target Chases in Recent Years
One notable success occurred against Australia in Brisbane in 2021, where Shubman Gill (91) and Rishabh Pant (89*) played crucial roles in chasing down 328 runs, securing a 2-1 series victory and marking a historic win at one of Australia's strongest venues.
The second successful chase took place in Ranchi last year against England, where half-centuries from captain Rohit Sharma (55) and Gill (52*), along with a steady 39* from Dhruv Jurel, led India to chase down 192 runs and clinch the series 3-1.
Chasing Woes in the Post-Tendulkar Era
India has faced numerous defeats while attempting to chase relatively modest targets under 250 runs. Some of these include:
- 193 runs against England in Birmingham (2018) - all out for 162
- 245 runs against England in Southampton (2018) - all out for 184
- 176 runs against Sri Lanka in Galle (2015) - all out for 112
- 208 runs against South Africa in Cape Town (2018) - all out for 135
- 231 runs against England in Hyderabad (2024) - all out for 202
Can India overcome their chasing difficulties and regain momentum in the remaining matches of the England series?