India has played two Tests in Southampton but have lost both games while their ODI record at this venue is much better with three wins from five games but with losses against England.
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The Rose Bowl in Southampton is the venue for the final of the ICC World Test Championship. The Indian cricket team, led by Virat Kohli, will take on New Zealand on June 18. India ended the ICC World Test Championship cycle on top by winning five out of the six series. Their only loss came against New Zealand when they were whitewashed 0-2. Heading into the match, there is plenty of records at stake for both teams.
This is the first time that India will be playing a neutral Test in their 89-year Test history. They have not won a major ICC event for the last eight years. New Zealand, on the other hand, has not won an ICC trophy for the last 20 years. But, they have reached the final in the 2015 and 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. New Zealand has never lost a match against India in England, be it ODIs or Twenty20s. New Zealand will also be confident of India‘s poor record in Southampton.
India have played two Tests in Southampton in 2014 and 2018. They have played five ODIs from 2004 at the venue. They have won games against Kenya, South Africa and Afghanistan but they have lost both games to England in 2007 and 2011. However, their Test record is woeful.
In the first game that India played in Southampton in 2014, India lost by 266 runs. In that match, the Indian cricket team headed into the game having won in Lord’s. However, they dropped Alastair Cook and he went on to make 95. Gary Ballance and Ian Bell hit centuries as England reached 569/7 declared. India were bowled out for 330 with James Anderson taking 5/53. Cook and Joe Root hit fifties as India were set a target of 445.
Moeen Ali took 6/67 as India collapsed spectacularly to lose by 266 runs. MS Dhoni, who was the captain of the side, did not recover from that loss and they lost the series 3-1. India’s fortunes took a total nosedive in the Test in Southampton.
History would repeat itself in the 2018 series against England. After losing the Edgbaston and Lord’s Test, India bounced back in style with a fantastic win in Trent Bridge. Sam Curran hit 78 to rescue England from 177/8 to 246. Cheteshwar Pujara hit 132 and was the pillar of the batting as they managed a lead of 27. Jos Buttler and Joe Root hit 69 and 48 respectively. However, it was Curran again who rescued England with 46 as England notched up 271. Chasing 245, Kohli and Rahane stitched a solid partnership of over 100 as both hit fifties.
Then, Moeen Ali struck again as he did in 2014. He removed Kohli and Rahane in quick succession and India collapsed again. Rishabh Pant and R Ashwin tried to revive India but they too fell to Moeen and Curran. Moeen took 4/71 as India lost by 60 runs to lose the series.
There are certain bogey grounds in England that have haunted India for some time. Southampton is one of them. India definitely face a big challenge when it comes to combating the conditions in Southampton.
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