Some lost test matches

In last 15 years, India has played a number of memorable test matches when i scan them i feel we have lost many matches from the jaws of win/draw. Here i am not belittling the tremendous performance by Team India against the South Africans at Eden Gardens the "Jerusalem of Cricket". One should bear in mind that only one Indian captain has ever won a test series against South Africans and he is quite unexpectedly Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. Here i am enumerating a list of test matches in last 15 years or so that India should have won instead of drawing or losing them.

1. India - West Indies,Bridgetown, 1997
India lost this match quite miserably by 38 runs. India needed only 120 runs to win but bowled out for 81. Sachin still believes this match as one of the most depressing moments of his life.

2. India - South Africa, Johannesburg, 1997
This was a typical Dravid - Ganguly match. In a moderate scoring match they scored more than 50% of their team runs apart from taking few wickets. This was a great batting performance against the young pace battery of Donald and Pollock supported by Mcmillan and Klusener. India failed to get last 2 South African wkts and thus India had to wait an entire decade to secure their first win against RSA in 2007.

3. India - Pakistan, Chennai, 1999
Another depressing moment of Sachin's life. India was wonderfully well placed at 254/6 and needed 271 to win. India lost it by 12 runs and another Sachin's great innings was in vain.

4. India - Pakistan, Eden Gardens, 1999
India needed 279 runs to win the match and series but lost out from the strong position of 1 for 134 to 232 all out. Pakistan in its first inning was struggling at 26 for 6 but Moin khan saved them. Unfortunately Sourav Ganguly could not play Moin Khan's inning.

5. India - Zimbawbe, Harare, 2001
India succumbed to yet another humiliating defeat against Zimbabweans. India was comfortably placed at 197 for 3 but bowled out for 234. Zimbawbe won the match after a brief struggle.

6. India - Australia, Sydney, 2004
This was a glorious match and India had a rare chance to win her maiden series in Australia but a late declaration by Ganguly and a match saving inning by Steve Waugh denied a great series win. India was yet too close and yet too far.

7. India - Pakistan, Bangalore, 2005
This match turned the tide against Sourav Ganguly. India needed to survive few last overs to win the series and to draw the match but India again choked to bat through the remaining overs. Nail in the coffin for Sourav Ganguly.

8. India - South Africa, Cape Town, 2007
India needed score 250 odd runs in order to secure the first even series win against RSA. India choked from 2 for 90 to 169 all out. Ganguly and Dravid failed to secure India and thus lost a golden chance of winning a series in South Africa. South Africa needed just 211 runs in last inning and they did that against brilliant Zaheer Khan.

9. India - England, Oval, 2007
Dravid did not ask England to follow on and it played a major part in denying India a well deserved victory. This match will be remembered because of maiden test hundred by Kumble.

10. India - Australia, Sydney, 2008
This match had everything. I have never seen such an intense match before. India played against the 13 men on the field throughout 5 days with sheer grit and determination, But in the end Bucknor was too much for Indians.

India should have won at least 50% of the above matches. Signing off Amigos.