On August 24, 2023, India celebrated its 52nd anniversary of defeating the British cricket team in their den. The Ajit Wadekar-led team defeated England to win their first Test series victory on English soil, marking the first time England suffered a defeat since the start of the 28-match Test series in June 1968.
India had to fight for victory in the third and final Test at Lord’s. India added 284 runs to England’s 355, thanks to scores from Sardesai, Engineer, and skipper Ajit Wadekar. Bhagwath Chandrasekhar’s leg-spinner from India destroyed England’s batting order in the second innings. Thus, India secured a historic four-wicket victory.
This day in 1971: India wins its first-ever Test series in England
After a historic series victory in the West Indies in 1971, India’s Ajit Wadekar-led team defeated England to win their first Test series on English soil. To win, India needed 173 runs. However, they maintained composure as Wadekar, Sardesai, Gundappa Viswanath, and Engineer scored crucial scores of 45, 40, 33, and 28* to secure a historic four-wicket victory for India.
August 24, 1971: Important Date for Indian Cricket
August 24, 2023, marks the 52nd anniversary of the Indian Cricket team taming the British cricket lions in their den. Following their historic series victory in the West Indies in 1971, India’s Ajit Wadekar-led team defeated England to win their first Test series victory on English soil.
The victory in England established three firsts
With this triumph, India won its first Test match in England. Since the start of the 28-match Test series in June 1968, this was the first time England suffered a defeat, and India had annihilated the West Indies to win both of their series.
India had to fight for that victory
But achieving a historic victory wasn’t simple. Before Abid Ali hit the game-winning shot, a square cut for four off Brian Luckhurst, India had to fight for it inch by inch near the end. India and England drew the first two games of the series at Lord’s and Old Trafford, respectively, entering the third and final Test.
About the Test Match
When India batted first, they added 284 runs to England’s 355 runs thanks to fifty-plus scores from Dilip Sardesai and Farookh Engineer, as well as crucial 40s from skipper Ajit Wadekar and Eknath Solkar, who also took three England wickets in the opening innings.
In England’s second innings, Bhagwath Chandrasekhar then flipped the script for India. India bowled England out for 101 runs thanks to the legendary leg-spinner, who destroyed England’s batting order and finished with figures of 6/38.
While Srinivas Venkataraghavan took two wickets and a sharp catch, and Bishan Bedi took one, Solkar took two outstanding catches at short-leg. Wadekar, Sardesai, Gundappa Viswanath, and Engineer scored crucial runs of 45, 40, 33, and 28*, respectively, as India, needing 173 runs to win, kept their composure and secured a historic four-wicket victory.
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