What's ailing Team India overseas?

So 4 away series lost in a row. Not a single victory in 14 Test matches away from home. To put it mildly, India have been a complete failure on foreign soil. What are the factors responsible for this poor run? We list out 5 problem areas that need to be addressed as soon as possible by the custodians of Indian cricket.

NUMBER 5: LACK OF WICKET-TAKING SPINNER

Home or away, India's biggest strength has always been wicket- taking spinners.

However, post the Kumble-Harbhajan era, India have lost 8 of the 10 overseas Tests they have played.

In fact, in the last 9 overseas Tests the trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Amit Mishra have managed just 21 wickets between them. That's an average of just 2 wickets per Test. (Also read: Vanquished India return from horror tour of NZ)

NUMBER 4: POOR STARTS BY THE OPENERS

Ask any expert and he'll tell you that to win Test matches abroad the openers need to give their team a solid foundation. However, the pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay have failed to do that on a consistent basis. Consider this, the opening partnership has gone past the 50 run mark only once in the last 14 overseas Tests that India has lost. (Also read Dhoni hunts for rare positives)

NUMBER 3: BIG RETIREMENTS, INEXPERIENCED TEAM

To be fair to the Indian batsmen, one must mention that they are an inexperienced lot. One of the major reasons for India's poor show abroad is the disappearance of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman from the Test arena. As they say, there is no substitute for experience and one can only hope the Indian team comes out of this transitional phase sooner rather than later.

NUMBER 2: DEFENSIVE CAPTAINCY BY DHONI

MS Dhoni, the flamboyant, risk taking ODI captain has been found wanting in Test matches. The lack of ideas, defensive field settings, poor bowling changes and bizarre team selection has raised quite a few eyebrows including that of former skipper Rahul Dravid who believes that Dhoni needs to start taking risks and gamble a bit more if he wants to win Test matches abroad.'I think he's got to realize this very quickly, that if he wants to win Test matches abroad, he's got to risk it all. He's got to take that chance that he's going to have to lose some Test matches. The only way you can win abroad is to take a few risks, take a few gambles,' Dravid said. (Take risks to win abroad: Dravid tells Dhoni)

NUMBER 1: INDIA'S TOOTHLESS PACE ATTACK

A massive 5 of pacer Ishant Shrma's 7 most expensive Test figures have come in India's last 14 wins and 2 of Zaheer Khan's 4 most expensive Test figures have also come in the same period including his most expensive of all figures. (Dravid cautions Zaheer about future)

However, India's fast bowling problems don't end there. They've tried as many as 8 different bowlers as to play the part of their number 3 pacer in the last few months. The result - India are winless in their last 14 away tests.

Clearly, India's pace bowling has been toothless and is one of the major reasons for the poor run in overseas matches.