Hoping to end a 53-year wait

India have played 15 series of five-or-more Tests and the only win came against the West Indies in 1971

- N Ananthanarayanan

NEW DELHI: At the best of times a five-Test series is cricket's marathon. The Visiting side has to contend with unfamiliar conditions and a determined and better equipped home team feeding off the extra energy from its fans. History can also weigh on the touring team.

India have played 15 series of five-or-more Tests. Their only win came on the 1971 tour of the West Indies, also famous for Sunil Gavaskar's grand show on debut. On the 1977-78 visit of Australia - the hosts hit by play-ers migrating to Kerry Packer's World Series - India fought back from 0-2 by winning the next two Tests but lost the decider.

The last time India played a five-Test series in Australia, in 1991-92, it was a forgettable experience, a 4-0 rout. As the sub-continent giants go into their first five-Test series in Australia in 24 years, the build-up doesn't augur well. The team is in some disarray after the 0-3 humiliation at home against New Zealand. What was anticipated to be a victory parade heading into a Border-Gavaskar Trophy contest that was being built up as rivalling the Ashes has effectively turned into a journey into the unknown.

Defeats can quickly lead to fatigue, collective and individual, and the loss to New Zealand has already pushed transition talk to the fore.