Rest of Asia XI that can defeat Team India at home in Tests

India has been one of the toughest teams to beat at home and the numbers speaks for them. Back in December 2012, India last slumped to a defeat on their soil in Tests versus England. Ever since, they have lost only a solitary game against Australia in Pune back in 2017 and won a jaw-dropping 25 matches.

Leave alone beating them, visiting teams have found it tough to even compete in India. Recently, India thrashed South Africa by an innings and 137 runs in Pune to win the three-match series 2-0. With the triumph, India’s Test winning streak at home extended to 11, the most by any team.

Virat Kohli and Co surpassed Australia, who had achieved 10 two times. But if a team is formed with Asian players, who are accustomed to the conditions, it might cease India’s glory run.

In our article, let’s take a look at an Asian XI that can defeat India in Tests at home

Dimuth Karunaratne (C)

Dimuth Karunaratne brings in the sense of calmness to the Sri Lankan team, especially in Test cricket. The left-hander is always ready to bide his time in the middle, making the bowlers earn his wicket rather than gifting it away.

The southpaw is one of the major reasons behind Lanka’s three victories in the format over South Africa and New Zealand, two of which were away triumphs. The 31-year-old became the leading run-scorer in the series versus the Black Caps, scoring 247 runs at an average of 61.75.

The knock of 122 he played in the second innings of the first Test in Galle, helped Lanka chase down 268 and win the contest by six wickets. Karunaratne has some decent knocks against India as well with scores of 46, 97, 141 and 51, though his average is only 24.61.

Azhar Ali

Azhar Ali isn’t the most attractive batters going around with a strike-rate of 41.42, but he is good enough to create headaches for the opposition. Having notched 15 centuries and 31 half-centuries in 73 Tests, the 34-year-old has been synonymous to belief and patience at the top of the order.

He is sixth on the list of leading run-scorer for Pakistan in the most traditional format with 5669 runs. The Lahore-born has a triple-ton versus the West Indies in a day-night Test in Dubai in 2016. Azhar also boasts of two double tons, showing his reliability in red-ball cricket.

The right-hander has played county cricket as well for Somerset and knows how to bat in challenging condition. Showing patience has never been an issue for him, making the bowlers to try out different things to get him out.

Rahmat Shah

Rahmat Shah is a batsman the Afghanistan team could count upon without any inhibition. The middle-order batsman is technically sound and it’s not an easy task to breach his defence. Shah doesn’t have a whole lot of experience, but with the kind of skills he has, it won’t be easy to leave him out from the red-ball format.

In three Tests, Rahmat averages 49 with 294 runs under his belt. This year has been fruit for the Paktia-born as  he has scores of 98, 76 and 102. The knocks turned out to be crucial ones as the Afghans defeated Ireland and Bangladesh.

Shah isn’t known for his flashy strokes, but his ability to occupy the crease and then pulling off the classical shots as he gets his eyes in. Last year, he got only scores of 4 and 14 against India, and is an improved player now.

Shakib Al Hasan

When the developments about Bangladesh cricket is discussed, the first name that comes up is Shakib Al Hasan. The Jessore-born made his debut back in 2006 and hasn’t looked back ever since. There have been plenty of occasions when the left-hander has single-handedly bailed his team out of jail.

Having played 56 Tests, the 32-year-old Shakib has 3862 runs and 210 wickets to his name. He needs to work on his numbers against India though. In six Tests, the veteran only has 260 runs at 26. His top score of 82 came in Hyderabad in 2017.

With the ball in hand, the left-arm spinner has a mere 15 wickets, numbers which don’t justify the talent he has. His best figures of 5/62 came in Chattogram way back in 2010. Despite his meek numbers, Shakib can’t be dismissed out of sight.

Mushfiqur Rahim (wk)

Mushfiqur Rahim is short in stature, but he is a pocket-size dynamite, who can pack a punch. The Bogra-born is a key figure in the Bangladesh national team for the last 15 years, scoring useful runs in all kind of conditions. In 67 Tests, Rahim has notched 4029 runs at an average of 34.73.

However, since 2017, the keeper has an average around 42 with three centuries to show for his efforts. Mushfiqur likes facing the Indian attack in Test cricket. He has an average of 56.16, having scored 337 runs in four matches.

Moreover, he has two centuries against the opposition, the last of which came in Hyderabad in 2017 where the Tigers lost by 208 runs. Back then, Mushfiqur was facing the likes of Ravi Ashwin and Ishant Sharma. The 32-year-old also is an efficient lot with the keeping gloves.

Asad Shafiq

Asad Shafiq isn’t the most intimidating to the naked eye by any stretch of the imagination. But he has the potential to take the opponents by surprise with his grit and determination. In 69 Tests, Shafiq has 4323 runs at an average of 38.94 to go with 12 tons and 23 half-centuries.

Batting in the middle-order, he has taken charge plenty of times, not succumbing to the pressure exerted on him. His numbers in the sub-continent are impressive, if not jaw-dropping. In 42 Tests, 30 of which were played in the UAE, Shafiq has racked up 2950 runs at an average of 48.36 with nine centuries.

His top score of 137 came versus New Zealand in Sharjah. He also has quite a few scores in the 70s and 80s. The 33-year-old has a good technique against spin and pace, and can add value to any Test side.

Kusal Perera

If one goes by Kusal Perera’s overall Test numbers, it might not send the right signals. In 18 Tests , the southpaw has 934 runs at an average of 31.13. But if one goes through what he did in Lanka’s away series earlier this year versus South Africa, one can get an idea of his capabilities.

In that series, he was the leading run-scorer with 224 runs at an average of 112 and an astonishing strike-rate of 80.57. The 153* he got in the first Test at the Kingsmead in Durban will be etched as one of the greatest knocks ever played in Test cricket.

Barring the masterclass, he has only 781 runs at an average off 26.03. But with a first-class average of 42.39, he has the potential to succeed in red-ball cricket. Though he can be inconsistent at times, the 29-year-old can add the X-factor to any batting lineup.

Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan has tasted success in limited-overs cricket. However, he is finding his feet in the longest format of the sport. The 21-year-old had a tough time on Test debut after being carted away by the Indian bowlers at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.

Nevertheless, he has picked 16 wickets in his last three Test innings. Recently, the Nangarhar-born became the youngest Test captain. He reached the milestone in the Chattogram Test against Bangladesh and took Afghanistan to victory by 224 runs.

To add to his delight, he was also adjudged the Player of the Match for getting 11 wickets and scoring a half-century in the first innings. Overall, he has 55 wickets in seven first-class matches. When in full flow, Rashid can be an enigma even for the in-form Indian batsmen.

Suranga Lakmal

Suranga Lakmal hasn’t been an overly prolific wicket-taker in Test cricket as he has only 141 wickets in 59 matches with only three five-wicket hauls to his name. The Matara-born has chipped in here and there with the odd wickets, but hasn’t been deliver to deliver the killer blows.

Lakmal doesn’t have pace on his side, but is mostly up to the mark in terms of consistency in line and lengths. The 32-year-old has rattled the Indian batting a couple of times though in December 2017. In the Dharamshala ODI, his spell of 10-4-13-4 guided Lanka to a seven-wicket victory.

In Test cricket, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, he picked up seven wickets, conceding 119 runs. Lakmal also got run-machine Virat Kohli out for a duck in that game. The pacer won’t be worst of choices by any means.

Yasir Shah

Yasir Shah became a regular member of the Pakistan team only after Saeed Ajmal was banned from bowling due to an illegal action. The tweaker made his limited-overs debut in 2011, but could never cement his position. His story in Test cricket in a tad different though.

The leg-spinner has been a captain’s go-to-bowler, having picked up 203 wickets in 35 matches with 16 five-wicket hauls. Last year in December, he broke an 82-year-old record and became the fastest bowler to 200 Test wickets in only his 33rd Test.

The tweaker accomplished the feat against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi with the wicket of William Somerville. In Asian conditions, running through the opposition batting has become bread and butter for Shah. In 22 games, the 33-year-old has 150 wickets with 11 fifers.

Mohammad Abbas

Mohammad Abbas made his Test debut back in 2017 against the West Indies and has already turned out to be a wicket-taker for them. In 14 Tests, the Sialkot-born speedster has 66 wickets with five four-wicket hauls and as many five-wicket hauls. His best bowling figures of 5/33 came against Australia in Abu Dhabi.

He has gone wicket-less in only three of the 27 innings he has bowled in. Even in the UAE where the conditions haven’t generally been conducive for fast bowlers, Abbas has made impact. In six games, he notched 27 wickets and his maiden Test 10-wicket haul also came there.

Abbas is a kind of bowler, who mostly depends on accuracy rather than sheer pace. Last year, he missed a bit of cricket due to shoulder injury and returned to first-class cricket earlier this year.