‘We Put India On The Cricketing Map'

While Virat Kohli’s men are currently the toast of the Indian cricket fans after their win at Lord’s, around this time, 50 years ago (August 19-24), 1971, another Indian team was busy making history on English soil.

- Gaurav Gupta

India, led by Ajit Wadekar, defeated England by four wickets in a thrilling third and final Test at The Oval — recording their first-ever Test and series victory in England.

After England scored 355, India looked in trouble at 125 for five, having lost the wickets of Sunil Gavaskar, Ashok Mankad, skipper Ajit Wadekar, Dilip Sardesai, and Gundappa Viswanath, before ‘keeper-bat Farokh Engineer (59) and Eknath Solkar (44) rescued the visitors with a 97-run partnership for the sixth wicket. India eventually made 284, before leg-spin legend Bhagwat Chandrasekhar weaved his magic, taking six for 38 to spin out England for just 101, leaving India with 173 to get on the final day.

Chasing the small target, India lost six wickets, but Wadekar’s 45, Dilip Sardesai’s 40, Gundappa Viswanath’s 33, and Farokh engineers unbeaten 28 took them home in 101 overs.

“Do people still remember that victory?” wonders Engineer, while speaking to TOI from Manchester almost half a century later. “I’d like to think that we put India on the cricketing map. 1971 was a great year for Indian cricket. Earlier that year, we beat the West Indies in their own den for the first time,” he recalls.

Talking about the Oval Test, the 83-year-old says: “What a series that was, especially that Oval Test! We had a great chance to win on the last day. I remember we were in trouble in the first innings before my partnership with Eki (Solkar) saw us through. I told Eki, let’s fight for every run. And he responded brilliantly.”