OTD | India registered their first-ever Test win in England at the Oval in 1971

On August 24, 1971, Indian cricket reached a historic milestone by securing its first-ever Test series victory on English soil. The iconic win came during the third and final Test match at The Oval, where the Indian team, under the leadership of Ajit Wadekar, outplayed England in all aspects of the game and sealed a memorable 4-wicket victory.

The 1971 series had already seen two drawn matches, setting the stage for a high-stakes decider at The Oval. England, led by Ray Illingworth, appeared strong at the outset, ending the first day with an imposing total of 355. Opener John Jameson set the tone for England with a solid knock of 82 off 152 deliveries before being bowled. 

Wicketkeeper Alan Knott was the top scorer, falling just 10 runs short of a century when he was caught and bowled by Eknath Solkar. The Indian spin trio of Bishan Bedi, Srinivas Venkataraghavan, and Bhagwath Chandrasekhar also contributed, each picking up 2 wickets.

India’s initial struggle

In response to England’s 355, India’s batting lineup struggled to keep pace, managing only 284 runs in their first innings. Farokh Engineer stood out with a gritty 59, while Dilip Sardesai added a crucial 54 runs. However, England’s captain Ray Illingworth proved to be a formidable adversary with the ball, claiming 5 wickets. 

With a lead of 71 runs, England aimed to capitalize in their second innings, but Indian bowlers had some other plans. Bhagwath Chandrasekhar delivered a masterclass in spin bowling, decimating the English lineup with his career-best figures of 6 for 38. England was bowled out for a meager 101, setting India a target of 173 to win.

India shone under pressure

Despite the pressure, Indian batters, led by Sardesai and Wadekar, rose to the occasion. The duo guided the team to the target with 4 wickets to spare, sealing a historic victory that stunned the cricketing world.

This triumph at The Oval in 1971 marked a turning point in Indian cricket, symbolizing the team’s growing confidence and capability on the international stage. Since then, India has won a Test series in England only twice more—once in 1986 under Kapil Dev and again in 2007 under Rahul Dravid. Notably, India will tour England for a five-match Test series in June 2025 under Rohit Sharma’s leadership seeking a comeback. 

Also read: Kumar Sangakkara played his last Test match against India in 2015