India's First Test Win In England

 

Today is the 50th anniversary of India's first test win in England. Ray Illingworth's team was seemingly invincible, and had played 26 tests without a defeat coming into the match at the Oval.  It was a record which was later broken by the West Indies under Clive Lloyd in the 1980s.

The English unbeaten run was ended famously by India on 24th August 1971. Led by Ajit Wadekar, the Indian team won  the third match of the series. They thus  won the three-test series 1-0 and created history.

England scored 355 in their first innings, with Bedi, Chandrasekhar and Venkataraghvan taking 2 wickets each. Solkar picked up 3 scalps, including Alan Knott for 90. In reply, India were tottering at 125-5 before Solkar and Engineer helped them put up a score of 284. Wadekar scored 48, Sardesai 54, Solkar 44 and Engineer 59 in that innings. Abid Ali and Venkataraghvan chipped in with 28 and 24 respectively. 

The game turned on its head on the fourth day, when Chandrasekhar demolished  the English side, claiming 6-38. England were dismissed for 101. India were left with a fourth innings target of 173. Illingworth and his men fought and fought, but India finally overhauled the target after batting for 117.3 overs! Wadekar scored 45, Sardesai 40, Vishwanath 33 and Engineer an unbeaten 28 in that second innings. 

The stadium, and the whole of India,  erupted in joy at the end of the match. Wadekar's team received a hero's welcome on their return home.

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