'They are still best travelling team in the world' - Brian Lara heaps praise on Team India despite New Zealand drubbing

Team India have always been a nation that suffered badly at the hands of big teams in overseas conditions. Under MS Dhoni’s captaincy, India failed to pose a threat to the opposition teams like England, South Africa and Australia etc. However, under the tutelage of Virat Kohli, India have performed considerably well in unfamiliar climes.

Team India hit the peak performance when they defeated Australia in the Test series and proving that beating Australia in Australia was no fluke, Kohli and Co. thrashed South Africa in the ODI series their own den. However, it was totally a different story altogether until they crossed swords with New Zealand.

India whitewashed New Zealand in the truncated version of the game but they were far from impressive in the other two formats – ODIs and Tests. Indian national cricket team ran through the worst experience as they were humiliated by New Zealand in the Test series. The Kiwis inflicted a 2-0 Test whitewash on the Indians.

New Zealand had all the tools to outsmart the highly-rated Indian team which was unbeaten in their last seven matches. Soon after the nightmare, questions have been raised over India’s performance. While some experts, fans launched a scathing attack on Team India, West Indies batting great Brian Lara spoke in favour of India.

‘India have been travelling very well in the last ten years‘: Brian Lara

West Indies batting phenom Brian Lara reckons that India are still the best visiting team in the cricket world despite their horror show against New Zealand in the recently-concluded Test series. India fell prey to New Zealand in the first Test, losing the game by ten wickets. The visitors lost the second Test by seven wickets as the match ended inside four days, which pretty much summed up New Zealand’s sheer dominance over India.

According to Brian Lara, it was nothing but an unwelcoming result for India. “I think India have been travelling very well in the last ten or so years. What happened in New Zealand, I think it’s more of an aberration, I think coming off so much one-day and T20 cricket, it might have been tough for them in the Test arena outside of India. But I think India is still maybe the best travelling team in the world,” West Indies legend Brian Lara told ESPNCricinfo.