Second Test vs West Indies, Barbados, Current (2011) series:
A dramatic draw saw India end three wickets short of what would have been a 2-0 series lead. Set 281 to win from 83 overs, the West Indies played for a draw and Bravo, Baugh and Chandepaul thwarted India. MS Dhoni deserves credit for a sporty declaration on the final day which brought the Test alive when close to 128 overs were lost due to bad weather. But the questions remain: Did India bat too slowly on the crucial fourth day, adding just 206 runs in 83.2 overs?
Third Test vs New Zealand, Ahmedabad 1999:
Under Sachin Tendulkar's captaincy, India did not ask New Zealand to follow on even after a 275-run first-innings lead. First, India declared at 583 - courtesy a double ton from Tendulkar and centuries from Sourav Ganguly and S Ramesh, following which the Kiwis responded with a slow but gritty 308. Three and a half days had gone by and Tendulkar opted to rest his bowlers instead of forcing the Kiwis to bat again. India batted for another 32 overs and lost the chance to press for victory.
Fourth Test vs Australia, Sydney 2004:
A big missed opportunity, this time from Sourav Ganguly, who did not press for a series win by refusing to ask the Aussies to follow on. Batting first, India notched up a mammoth 705/7 declared courtesy Tendulkar's unbeaten 241 and Laxman's 178. The Aussies managed 474 in reply, but instead of asking them to bat again India opted to consolidate their lead, batting for again another 43.2 overs. Set to bat out a day, Australia saw Steve Waugh - playing his farewell Test - and Simon Katich thwart the Indians with gritty knocks.
Third Test vs England, The Oval 2007:
Under Rahul Dravid, India seemed content with a 1-0 series lead and did not push for victory in the third Test on a featherbed at the Oval. Again, they did not ask their opponents to follow on. A 664-run first-innings cushion wasn't enough to convince the Indians to ask England to bat again after they replied with 345. In their second innings, India batted so slowly that infuriated fans started yelling in the stands. The skipper scored only 12 off 96 balls. Set 500 for victory, England lost six wickets before securing the draw.
Second Test vs Australia, Melbourne 1986:
Lack of urgency cost India what could have been a famous win. Chasing 126 and with most of the post lunch play onwards on the last day to bat, India scored at 2.36 per over before bad weather intervened. India finished at 59/2 on a turning track in which they had dominated from Day 1, restricting the Aussies to 262 and then responding with 445. Some bad umpiring and India's unwillingness to attack then saw Australia go from 231/9 to 308 in their second essay, with Border scoring 163. Still, they could have won when they came out to bat last.
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