"It's nearly impossible to beat India in India," former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman and cricketer Ramiz Raja said after India thrashed Australia by six wickets in Delhi in February 2023. That win saw India retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after going up 2-0 in the four-match Test series.
India have been a formidable side in Test cricket at home, making it nearly impossible for teams to beat them.
There are teams like Australia and England who have won Tests in the past decade or so, but even then, they have failed to beat India more than once in a Test series since 2013. In fact, India have lost only three Tests since 2013.
They are near invincible at home. But when was the last time they tasted a series defeat in Tests at home? And who beat India and India? The Sporting News takes a look.
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When was the last time India lost a Test series at home?
The last time India lost a Test series at home was in 2012.
Since then, India have played 17 Test series and two standalone Tests (against Bangladesh and Afghanistan, which resulted in wins for India).
In those 16 series, India are undefeated, winning 40 Tests, drawing 7, and losing just 4 Tests.
India's record in Test series at home since 2013:
| Series played (including one-off Tests) | Won | Lost | Draw | Win-loss ratio |
| 18 | 18 | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Tests played | Won | Lost | Draw/Tie/NR | Win % |
| 53 | 42 | 4 | 7 | 79.20% |
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Who were the last side to defeat India in a Test series in India?
Late in 2012, England toured India for a four-match Test series. India won the first Test by 9 wickets, and it seemed that the hosts would continue the domination at home.
However, in the next two Tests - in Mumbai and Kolkata - England inflicted humiliating defeats on the hosts to take a 2-1 lead heading into the final Test.
India couldn't avoid England from winning the series as the game ended in a draw, with England scripting a famous (and rare) away series win in India, a place many have considered the toughest challenge in Test cricket.
"I think beating India in India is a far higher thing to strive for right now. They're virtually unbeatable in India since we beat them in 2012. Why isn't that the whole thing? Why aren't people saying 'right, this is a chance to get this team with good players of spin, use their feet, change the whole way we face spin bowling, and then we can beat India'," Graeme Swann, who was a part of the England squad in 2012, said in 2021.
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