Indian cricket team in England in 1971
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The Indian cricket team toured England in the 1971 season and played 19 first-class fixtures, winning 7, losing only one and drawing 11. India played three Test matches and surprisingly won the series against England 1–0 with two Tests drawn. This was India's first ever series win in England. The First Test at
Lord's Lord's Cricket Ground, commonly known as Lord's, is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and ...
and the Second Test at
Old Trafford Old Trafford () is a football stadium in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, and the home of Manchester United. With a capacity of 74,310 it is the largest club football stadium (and second-largest football stadium overall after Wemb ...
were drawn. India pulled off a historic win in the Third Test at
The Oval The Oval, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Kia Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, located in the borough of Lambeth, in south London. The Oval has been the home ground of Surrey County Cricket Club since ...
by 4 wickets after being 71 behind on first innings. They bowled England out for only 101 in the second innings with Bhagwat Chandrasekhar claiming 6–38. The Indian team was captained by
Ajit Wadekar Ajit Laxman Wadekar (; 1 April 1941 – 15 August 2018) was an Indian international cricketer who played for the Indian national team between 1966 and 1974. Described as an "aggressive batsman", Wadekar made his first-class debut in 1958, ...
. Besides Wadekar and Chandrasekhar, the team included other notable players in
Dilip Sardesai Dilip Narayan Sardesai (; 8 August 1940 – 2 July 2007) was an Indian international cricketer. He played Tests for the Indian national team as a batsman, the first Goa-born cricketer to play for India, and was often regarded as one of India' ...
, Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan,
Gundappa Viswanath Gundappa Ranganath Viswanath (born 12 February 1949) is a former Indian cricketer. Vishwanath was rated as one of India's finest batsmen throughout the 1970s. Viswanath played Test cricket for India from 1969 to 1983, making 91 appearances an ...
, Bishan Singh Bedi and the young
Sunil Gavaskar Sunil Manohar Gavaskar (Marathi pronunciation: uniːl ɡaːʋəskəɾ ; born 10 July 1949), is an Indian cricket commentator and former cricketer who represented India and Bombay from 1971 to 1987. Gavaskar is acknowledged as one of the grea ...
.
Farokh Engineer Farokh Maneksha Engineer (born 25 February 1938) is an Indian former cricketer. He played 46 Test matches for India, played first-class cricket for Bombay in India from 1959 to 1975 and for Lancashire County Cricket Club in England from 196 ...
, who had a contract with
Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...
, was made available for the Tests and a few other matches.


Background

With
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
out of Test cricket, England was arguably the best cricket team in the world at this point of time. Earlier in the summer, they had fortuitously managed to defeat
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
1–0 but coming into the series England had gone 24 Tests without defeat. They were to extend it to a record 26 Test matches before losing the third Test. India had not won a Test abroad till 1968 and had had no success in their previous six Test tours of England. However, under the new captain
Ajit Wadekar Ajit Laxman Wadekar (; 1 April 1941 – 15 August 2018) was an Indian international cricketer who played for the Indian national team between 1966 and 1974. Described as an "aggressive batsman", Wadekar made his first-class debut in 1958, ...
, India defeated West Indies in an away series in early 1971. The victory in that series was built around the batting of
Sunil Gavaskar Sunil Manohar Gavaskar (Marathi pronunciation: uniːl ɡaːʋəskəɾ ; born 10 July 1949), is an Indian cricket commentator and former cricketer who represented India and Bombay from 1971 to 1987. Gavaskar is acknowledged as one of the grea ...
and
Dilip Sardesai Dilip Narayan Sardesai (; 8 August 1940 – 2 July 2007) was an Indian international cricketer. He played Tests for the Indian national team as a batsman, the first Goa-born cricketer to play for India, and was often regarded as one of India' ...
who scored 774 and 642 runs respectively.
Chandrasekhar Chandrasekhar, Chandrashekhar or Chandra Shekhar is an Indian name and may refer to a number of individuals. The name comes from the name of an incarnation of the Hindu god Shiva. In this form he married the goddess Parvati. Etymologically, the nam ...
had been a controversial omission from the West Indies series. Chief Selector
Vijay Merchant Vijay Singh Madhavji Merchant , real name Vijay Madhav Thackersey (12 October 1911 – 27 October 1987) was an Indian cricketer. A right-hand batter and occasional right-arm medium pace bowler, Merchant played first-class cricket for Bombay c ...
called his inclusion for the tour of England "a “calculated gamble"”.


Touring party

*
Ajit Wadekar Ajit Laxman Wadekar (; 1 April 1941 – 15 August 2018) was an Indian international cricketer who played for the Indian national team between 1966 and 1974. Described as an "aggressive batsman", Wadekar made his first-class debut in 1958, ...
(captain) *
Srinivas Venkataraghavan Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan ( (informally Venkat, born 21 April 1945) is an Indian former cricketer. He captained the Indian cricket team at the first two ICC Cricket World Cups, and later became an umpire on the elite International Cric ...
(vice-captain) * Abbas Ali Baig * Abid Ali *
Bishen Bedi Bishan Singh Bedi (; born 25 September 1946) is a former Indian cricketer who was primarily a slow left-arm orthodox bowler. He played Test cricket for India from 1966 to 1979 and formed part of the famous Indian spin quartet. He played a total ...
* Bhagwat Chandrasekhar *
Farokh Engineer Farokh Maneksha Engineer (born 25 February 1938) is an Indian former cricketer. He played 46 Test matches for India, played first-class cricket for Bombay in India from 1959 to 1975 and for Lancashire County Cricket Club in England from 196 ...
*
Sunil Gavaskar Sunil Manohar Gavaskar (Marathi pronunciation: uniːl ɡaːʋəskəɾ ; born 10 July 1949), is an Indian cricket commentator and former cricketer who represented India and Bombay from 1971 to 1987. Gavaskar is acknowledged as one of the grea ...
* D. Govindraj * K. Jayantilal *
Syed Kirmani Syed Mujtaba Hussain Kirmani (; born 29 December 1949) is an Indian cricketer who played cricket for India and Karnataka as a wicket-keeper. In 2016, he was awarded the Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award for Cricket in India. Internationa ...
*
Pochiah Krishnamurthy Pallemoni Krishnamurthy, also known as Pochiah Krishnamurthy, (12 July 1947 – 28 January 1999) was an Indian cricketer who played in five Test matches in 1971 against West Indies and one One Day International A One Day International ...
*
Ashok Mankad Ashok Mulvantrai Mankad (12 October 1946 – 1 August 2008) was an Indian cricketer. A right-handed batsman, he played for India in 22 Test matches. Ashok Mankad was born in a Vadnagra Nagar Brahmin family as the eldest son of Vinoo Manka ...
*
Erapalli Prasanna Erapalli Anantharao Srinivas Prasanna (born 22 May 1940) is a former Indian cricket player. He was a spin bowler, specializing in off spin and a member of the Indian spin quartet. He is an alumnus of National Institute of Engineering, Mysore. ...
*
Dilip Sardesai Dilip Narayan Sardesai (; 8 August 1940 – 2 July 2007) was an Indian international cricketer. He played Tests for the Indian national team as a batsman, the first Goa-born cricketer to play for India, and was often regarded as one of India' ...
*
Eknath Solkar Eknath Dhondu 'Ekky' Solkar (18 March 1948 – 26 June 2005) was an Indian all-round cricketer who played 27 Tests and seven One Day Internationals for his country. He was born in Bombay, and died of heart attack in the same city at the age o ...
*
Gundappa Viswanath Gundappa Ranganath Viswanath (born 12 February 1949) is a former Indian cricketer. Vishwanath was rated as one of India's finest batsmen throughout the 1970s. Viswanath played Test cricket for India from 1969 to 1983, making 91 appearances an ...
*
Hemu Adhikari Colonel Hemchandra "Hemu" Ramachandra Adhikari (31 July 1919 – 25 October 2003) was an Indian cricketer, representing his country as both a player and a coach in a career that spanned three decades. Life and career A talented right-h ...
(manager)
M. L. Jaisimha Motganhalli Laxminarsu Jaisimha (3 March 1939 – 6 July 1999) was an Indian Test cricketer. Playing career Jaisimha was a right-handed batsman who was noted for his style on and off the field. He bowled medium pace, often opening the bowling ...
,
Salim Durani Salim Aziz Durani (born 11 December 1934) is a former Indian cricketer who played in 29 Test matches from 1960 to 1973. An all-rounder, Durani was a slow left-arm orthodox bowler and a left-handed batsman famous for his six-hitting prowess. He ...
and
Rusi Jeejeebhoy Rusi Jeejeebhoy (born 2 December 1942) is an Indian former cricketer. He played first-class cricket for Bengal between 1965 and 1973. Jeejeebhoy was educated at Calcutta Boys' School and the University of Calcutta. He toured the West Indies in ...
were excluded from the team that toured
West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greater A ...
.


Test series


First Test

''You may be too young to remember, but in 1971, during a Test match, I collided with England fast bowler John Snow and lost my bat. Snow picked it up and handed it to me. But at the time, many papers wrote that Snow had flung the bat at me. It all depends on your point of view, or what you are trying to portray.... –
Sunil Gavaskar Sunil Manohar Gavaskar (Marathi pronunciation: uniːl ɡaːʋəskəɾ ; born 10 July 1949), is an Indian cricket commentator and former cricketer who represented India and Bombay from 1971 to 1987. Gavaskar is acknowledged as one of the grea ...
'
Picture
The England fast bowler
John Snow John Snow (15 March 1813 – 16 June 1858) was an English physician and a leader in the development of anaesthesia and medical hygiene. He is considered one of the founders of modern epidemiology, in part because of his work in tracing the so ...
rescued the England first innings when he came in at 183/7 and made 73 to hoist the total up to 304. This was Snow's highest
Test Test(s), testing, or TEST may refer to: * Test (assessment), an educational assessment intended to measure the respondents' knowledge or other abilities Arts and entertainment * ''Test'' (2013 film), an American film * ''Test'' (2014 film), ...
and joint-equal highest first-class score, but he was disappointed not to realise his boyhood dream of a century at
Lord's Lord's Cricket Ground, commonly known as Lord's, is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and ...
when he was caught off a
B. S. Chandrasekhar Bhagwat Subramanya Chandrasekhar (informally Chandra; born 17 May 1945) is an Indian former cricketer who played as a leg spinner. Considered among the top echelon of leg spinners, Chandrasekhar along with E.A.S. Prasanna, Bishen Singh Bedi an ...
googly In the game of cricket, a googly refers to a type of delivery bowled by a right-arm leg spin bowler. It is different from the normal delivery for a leg-spin bowler in that it is turning the other way. The googly is ''not'' a variation of the ...
. India needed 183 to win in the fourth innings when Snow had the opener
Ashok Mankad Ashok Mulvantrai Mankad (12 October 1946 – 1 August 2008) was an Indian cricketer. A right-handed batsman, he played for India in 22 Test matches. Ashok Mankad was born in a Vadnagra Nagar Brahmin family as the eldest son of Vinoo Manka ...
caught by
Alan Knott Alan Philip Eric Knott (born 9 April 1946) is a former cricketer who represented England at international level in both Tests and One-Day Internationals (ODI). Knott is widely regarded as one of the most eccentric characters in cricket and as o ...
for 8 and India were 21/2 when
Sunil Gavaskar Sunil Manohar Gavaskar (Marathi pronunciation: uniːl ɡaːʋəskəɾ ; born 10 July 1949), is an Indian cricket commentator and former cricketer who represented India and Bombay from 1971 to 1987. Gavaskar is acknowledged as one of the grea ...
was called for a quick single after hitting the ball to mid-wicket. Snow went for the ball and knocked him over, "I could imagine the horror on the faces of everybody watching the game from the committee room at Lord's". They were both uninjured and continued with the game, and Snow tossed Gavaskar's bat back to him. A similar incident had happened in Georgetown in 1967–68 with
Clive Lloyd Sir Clive Hubert Lloyd (born 31 August 1944) is a Guyanese-British former cricketer who played for the West Indies cricket team. As a boy he went to Chatham High School in Georgetown. At the age of 14 he was captain of his school cricket team ...
, but the 5'5" Indian received far more sympathy than the 6'4" West Indian who knocked Snow to the ground. From afar the incident had looked much worse and was replayed repeatedly on slow-motion television. A media furore ensued and with press demanding disciplinary action. The replay can be seen in the Indian episode of the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
documentary Empire of Cricket and it certainly appears that Snow recklessly barged into the Gavaskar. Many were more angry about the throwing of the bat back than the knocking him over in the first place. At lunch, Snow returned to the dressing room and apologised to the chairman of selectors
Alec Bedser Sir Alec Victor Bedser (4 July 1918 – 4 April 2010) was a professional English cricketer, primarily a medium-fast bowler. He is widely regarded as one of the best English cricketers of the 20th century. Bedser played first-class cricket fo ...
and promised to do so to Gavaskar when an enraged
Billy Griffith Stewart Cathie Griffith, (16 June 1914 – 7 April 1993), known as Billy Griffith, was an English cricketer and cricket administrator. He played in three Test matches for England in 1948 and 1949. He played first-class cricket for Cambridge ...
charged in and shouted "That's the most disgusting thing I've ever seen on the field".
Ray Illingworth Raymond Illingworth CBE (8 June 1932 – 25 December 2021) was an English cricketer, cricket commentator and administrator. , he was one of only nine players to have taken 2,000 wickets and made 20,000 runs in first-class cricket.Arnold, Peter ...
took him out and Snow waited until he had calmed down before apologising to Gavaskar after lunch. When he later saw the replay he said, "Oh well, the scene's been far too quiet without me anyway" and realised he could not avoid being dropped for the Second Test. The game was rained off with India needed 38 runs to win, but England wanting only two wickets for victory.


Second Test


Third Test

Snow returned for the Third Test and tore off Gavaskar's chain and medallion with a bouncer that zipped under his chin and made him fall over. He bowled the Indian for 6 in the first innings and had him lbw for a duck in the second, but this was not enough to prevent India winning the Test and the series by four wickets. It ended England's run of 26 Tests without loss.


Other matches


v Middlesex

:;At Lord's, 23, 24, 25 June. Middlesex (233 and 131) lost to the Indians (168 and 198–8) by two wickets. Eric Russell and Mike Smith added 89 for the first wicket after
Mike Brearley John Michael Brearley (born 28 April 1942) is a retired English first-class cricketer who captained Cambridge University, Middlesex, and England. He captained the international side in 31 of his 39 Test matches, winning 18 and losing only 4. ...
won the toss and batted. Russell, dropped three times, became the third batsman – after John Jameson and
Zaheer Abbas Syed Zaheer Abbas Kirmani PP, (in Punjabi and Urdu: سید ظہیر عباس کرمانی; born 24 July 1947), popularly known as Zaheer Abbas, is a former Pakistani cricketer. He is among few professional cricketers who used to wear spectacles ...
– to complete 1,000 runs for the season. He was caught at mid-off for 84 in three and a half hours. Middlesex, 164 for 2 at the time of Russell's dismissal, was all out for 233. John Price took the wickets of Abbas Ali Baig and
Ajit Wadekar Ajit Laxman Wadekar (; 1 April 1941 – 15 August 2018) was an Indian international cricketer who played for the Indian national team between 1966 and 1974. Described as an "aggressive batsman", Wadekar made his first-class debut in 1958, ...
off successive balls as India ended the first day on 41 for 3. They slid further to 94 for 6 before Viswanath and Abid Ali added 76 runs in an hour. Going in second with a 65-run lead, Middlesex lost five wickets for 20 runs in 40 minutes after tea. Bedi took 6 for 29 and India needed 197 to win. Price took two wickets off consecutive balls for the fourth day in a row,
Sunil Gavaskar Sunil Manohar Gavaskar (Marathi pronunciation: uniːl ɡaːʋəskəɾ ; born 10 July 1949), is an Indian cricket commentator and former cricketer who represented India and Bombay from 1971 to 1987. Gavaskar is acknowledged as one of the grea ...
and
Dilip Sardesai Dilip Narayan Sardesai (; 8 August 1940 – 2 July 2007) was an Indian international cricketer. He played Tests for the Indian national team as a batsman, the first Goa-born cricketer to play for India, and was often regarded as one of India' ...
being the batsmen this time. This time the first five wickets fell for 79 but
Eknath Solkar Eknath Dhondu 'Ekky' Solkar (18 March 1948 – 26 June 2005) was an Indian all-round cricketer who played 27 Tests and seven One Day Internationals for his country. He was born in Bombay, and died of heart attack in the same city at the age o ...
and Abid Ali added 56 and Bedi finished the match pulling
Peter Parfitt Peter Howard Parfitt (born 8 December 1936) is an English former cricketer. He attended Fakenham Grammar School, and King Edward VII Grammar School, in Kings Lynn, Norfolk. The cricket correspondent Colin Bateman noted, "he was a stocky, po ...
for four. On a wearing wicket, Middlesex missed Fred Titmus who had been rested.


v Essex

:;At Colchester, 26, 28, 29 June. Indians (164 and 231) lost to Essex (328–8 decl and 68 for 4) by six wickets. The match was played in very English conditions – the wicket hardly differed foom the outfield, there was a near gale-force wind and it rained.
Keith Boyce Keith David Boyce (11 October 1943 – 11 October 1996) was a cricketer who played 21 Tests and 8 One Day Internationals for the West Indies between 1971 and 1976. He died from the effects of chronic cirrhosis of the liver, while sitting in a c ...
dismissed Gavaskar with the last ball of the first over.
John Lever John Kenneth Lever (born 24 February 1949) is an English former international cricketer who played Test and One Day International cricket for England. Lever was a left-arm fast-medium bowler who predominantly swung the ball into right-handed ...
hit Jayantilal on the boot with his first ball, had Wadekar caught behind off the fifth, and yorked Viswanath with the second ball of his second over. None of the batsmen scored and India was 3 for 4 after 20 balls. India eventually ended up with 164. In the Essex reply,
Keith Fletcher Keith William Robert Fletcher (born 20 May 1944) is an English former first-class cricketer who played for Essex and England. He later became England's team manager. His nickname was "The Gnome of Essex", so christened by his Essex teammate, R ...
scored his third hundred of the season in 223 minutes. Just before the declaration, Lever hit 37 in 25 minutes with 2 fours and 3 sixes. After reaching 163 for 3 an hour before tea on the final day, India lost five wickets in 20 overs. Essex needed 68 in 18 overs and managed it just in time.


v DH Robins' XI

:;At Eastbourne, 30 June, July 1,2. DH Robins' XI (228–8 decl and 258–5 decl) drew with Indians (305–8 decl and 132–4). Sardesai, Venkataraghavan and Solkar were rested and Govindraj played his first match. He took 2 for 20 in 12 overs in his opening spell. By tea, Robins' XI had lost seven wickets for 148.
Chris Old Chris Old (born Christopher Middleton Old, 22 December 1948) is a former English cricketer, who played 46 Tests and 32 ODIs from 1972 to 1981. A right-arm fast-medium bowler and lower order left-handed batsman, Old was a key feature of the Yorks ...
and
Kerry O'Keeffe Kerry James O'Keeffe (born 25 November 1949) is a former Australian cricketer and a current cricket commentator for Fox Sports. O'Keeffe played 24 Test matches and two One Day Internationals between 1971 and 1977. Playing career He was a spin ...
added 71 for the ninth wicket when the innings was declared half an hour before the close. Still trying to solve the problem of the opening batsmen, India picked all the four openers in the touring party. Gavaskar and
Baig Baig, also commonly spelled Bayg, Beigh, Beg, Bek, Bey, Baeg or Begh (Persian: بیگ, ''Beig'', Turkish: ''Bey''), was a Turkic title which is today used as a name to identify lineage. It means ''Chief'' or ''Commander'' and is an honorific titl ...
opened, Jayantilal went in at one down and Mankad at five. After the quick exit of Baig and Jayantilal, Wadekar scored 45 with nine fours, four of them in a Greig over. Viswanath scored a hundred in 200 minutes with 15 fours. Robins' XI declared just before tea setting India 182 in around two hours. Baig scored 38 with six fours after which the match ended in a draw.


v Kent

:;At Canterbury, July 3,5,6. Kent (394–8 decl and 176–4 decl) drew with Indians (163 and 264–7). Venkataraghavan captained the Indians. Dropped on 19,
Brian Luckhurst Brian William Luckhurst (5 February 1939 – 1 March 2005) was an English cricketer, who played his entire county career for Kent County Cricket Club. He played for Kent from 1958 to 1976, usually opening the batting, then in 1985, in an emerg ...
scored 118 in three and a half hours with 15 fours and a six off Venkat. Luckhurst and
Mike Denness Michael Henry Denness (1 December 1940 – 19 April 2013) was a Scottish cricketer who played for England, Scotland, Kent and Essex. Scotland did not have a representative international team at the time of Denness' career, so he could only play ...
made 125 for the first wicket and were separated just after lunch. Luckhurst was the fourth man out at 209 but
Alan Knott Alan Philip Eric Knott (born 9 April 1946) is a former cricketer who represented England at international level in both Tests and One-Day Internationals (ODI). Knott is widely regarded as one of the most eccentric characters in cricket and as o ...
and West Indian John Shepherd then added 96 runs quickly. Gavaskar had been rested, and the Indian openers were dismissed before close on the first day. The first five fell for 52 but yet again the lower half of the Indian batting outscored the top order. Despite a lead of 228, Denness chose to bat again and set Indians 408 to win in over a day. On a very cold final day, Viswanath and
Ashok Mankad Ashok Mulvantrai Mankad (12 October 1946 – 1 August 2008) was an Indian cricketer. A right-handed batsman, he played for India in 22 Test matches. Ashok Mankad was born in a Vadnagra Nagar Brahmin family as the eldest son of Vinoo Manka ...
took the score to 137 for 1 at lunch but Shepherd dismissed Mankad and Sardesai in one over. Viswanath, however, scored his second successive hundred and shielded the later batsmen.


v Leicestershire

:;At Grace Road, Leicester July 7,8,9 Leicestershire (198 and 168) lost to Indians (416–7 decl) by an innings and 50 runs. This match proved to be the turning point for the Indians who now began to win consistently. The match was played in warm sunshine before a crowd that included many Indians.
Barry Dudleston Barry Dudleston (born 16 July 1945) is a former first-class cricketer and umpire. He was a right-handed batsman and occasional wicketkeeper who played cricket for Rhodesia, Gloucestershire and Leicestershire. By the end of his career of 295 firs ...
and David Steele began with a stand of 50 runs in an hour before
Chandra Chandra ( sa, चन्द्र, Candra, shining' or 'moon), also known as Soma ( sa, सोम), is the Hindu god of the Moon, and is associated with the night, plants and vegetation. He is one of the Navagraha (nine planets of Hinduism) and ...
caught and bowled Steele.
Baig Baig, also commonly spelled Bayg, Beigh, Beg, Bek, Bey, Baeg or Begh (Persian: بیگ, ''Beig'', Turkish: ''Bey''), was a Turkic title which is today used as a name to identify lineage. It means ''Chief'' or ''Commander'' and is an honorific titl ...
ran Dudleston out for 51 and Solkar took a spectacular catch at short squareleg to dismiss Brian Davison. Leicestershire were dismissed before tea for 198. Gavaskar and Wadekar added 231 for the second wicket. Wadekar once swung
Jack Birkenshaw Jack Birkenshaw, (born 13 November 1940) was an English cricketer, who later stood as an umpire and worked as a coach. Cricket commentator, Colin Bateman, stated "Jack Birkenshaw was the epitome of a good all-round county cricketer: a probing ...
over fineleg, shattering the window panes. India was 120 for 1 at close on the first day, and added another 125 without loss before lunch on the second. Wadekar was well caught by Birkenshaw at short midwicket having made 126 with 18 fours and the six. Gavaskar made 165 in five and a half fours with 21 fours. India declared after tea with a lead of 218. Leicestershire lost quick wickets on the last day before
Chris Balderstone John Christopher Balderstone (16 November 1940 – 6 March 2000) was an English professional in cricket and association football, football, and one of the last sportsmen to combine both sports over a prolonged period. He played football as a mi ...
and
Roger Tolchard Roger William Tolchard (born 15 June 1946) is an English former cricketer, who played in four Tests and one One Day International for England in the late 1970s. Life and career Tolchard was a wicket-keeper. Educated at Malvern College, he play ...
added 72 for the fifth wicket. Tolchard was dropped by Solkar but Gavaskar had him caught at slip. The match ended ten minutes after lunch. Chandra returned figures of 5 for 63 and 6 for 64 (11 for 127).


v Warwickshire

:;At Edgbaston, Birmingham July 10,12,13 Warwickshire (377–3 decl and 182) lost to Indians (562) by an innings and 3 runs. Indians recovered from a bad start to win by an innings. On the first day Jameson set about the Indian bowling to score 231 in 265 minutes with 31 fours and four sixes – one each off Bedi, Govindraj, Abid Ali and Prasanna. India rested
Chandra Chandra ( sa, चन्द्र, Candra, shining' or 'moon), also known as Soma ( sa, सोम), is the Hindu god of the Moon, and is associated with the night, plants and vegetation. He is one of the Navagraha (nine planets of Hinduism) and ...
for the match. Warwickshire scored 130 without loss in 30 overs before lunch on the first day. Bedi dismissed John Whitehouse and
Rohan Kanhai Rohan Babulal Kanhai (born 26 December 1935) is a Guyanese former cricketer of Tamil Indo-Guyanese origin , who represented the West Indies in 79 Test matches. He is widely considered to be one of the best batsmen of the 1960s. Kanhai featur ...
in four balls. Jameson and
Smith Smith may refer to: People * Metalsmith, or simply smith, a craftsman fashioning tools or works of art out of various metals * Smith (given name) * Smith (surname), a family name originating in England, Scotland and Ireland ** List of people wi ...
then added 241 in 149 minutes. Jameson was dropped at 132 and 143. On the latter occasion, Prasanna let the ball go off his hands for six, Govindraj being the bowler. After Warwickshire declared at the fall of Jameson, India made 94 for two on the first day, and another 416 runs on the second. Wadekar and Sardesai made 144 for the third wicket and Sardesai and Viswanath 118 for the fourth wicket. Sardesai scored 120 and Viswanath missed his third consecutive century by ten runs. India batted into the third day for Abid Ali to score a hundred. He missed it by seven runs and India was all out for 562. It was India's highest first class score in England. Jameson fell early, caught hooking Abid Ali. Bedi and Prasanna shared the other nine wickets as Warwickshire lost by an innings. India defeated Warwickshire for the first time in seven attempts.


v Glamorgan

:;At Sophia Gardens, Cardiff July 14,15,16 Indians (284 and 245–6 decl) df Glamorgan (203 and 224) by 102 runs.
Farokh Engineer Farokh Maneksha Engineer (born 25 February 1938) is an Indian former cricketer. He played 46 Test matches for India, played first-class cricket for Bombay in India from 1959 to 1975 and for Lancashire County Cricket Club in England from 196 ...
was released by
Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...
to play in this match. Wadekar won his fourth toss in successive matches. Several Indian batsmen had a good start without going on to make a big score. Engineer top-scored making 62 of the 94 runs added by the last six wickets. Sixteen wickets fell on the second day. Majid Khan played a fine innings of 78 with 11 fours before Bedi bowled his with an arm-ball. But the last six Glamoran wickets added only 25. Venkataraghavan took 6 for 76. India lost the first three for 46 but Wadekar scored 73. Venkataraghavan made 57 including a six off Peter Walker. Needing 337 in the second innings, Glamorgan closed the second day on 11 for no loss. On the final day, Engineer missed two chances from
Malcolm Nash Malcolm, Malcom, Máel Coluim, or Maol Choluim may refer to: People * Malcolm (given name), includes a list of people and fictional characters * Clan Malcolm * Maol Choluim de Innerpeffray, 14th-century bishop-elect of Dunkeld Nobility * Máel ...
who was also dropped by
Baig Baig, also commonly spelled Bayg, Beigh, Beg, Bek, Bey, Baeg or Begh (Persian: بیگ, ''Beig'', Turkish: ''Bey''), was a Turkic title which is today used as a name to identify lineage. It means ''Chief'' or ''Commander'' and is an honorific titl ...
. Nash top scored with 75. After being 185 for four at tea, Glamorgan were all out for 224. This time Bedi took six wickets. Both he and Venkat took nine wickets in the match.


v Hampshire

:;At Dean Park, Bournemouth July 17,19,20 Hampshire (198 and 271) lost to Indians (364 and 106 for 5) by five wickets. For the last match before the first Test, India rested Bedi and
Chandra Chandra ( sa, चन्द्र, Candra, shining' or 'moon), also known as Soma ( sa, सोम), is the Hindu god of the Moon, and is associated with the night, plants and vegetation. He is one of the Navagraha (nine planets of Hinduism) and ...
who were both expected to be in Test side. The choice of the third spinner was between Prasanna and Venkat. Prasanna took 3 for 37 in the first innings while Venkat had 1 for 76. But in the second innings Venkat returned career best figures of 9 for 93. He only missed the ninth wicket of the innings,
Larry Worrell Lawrence 'Larry' Roosevelt Worrell (born 28 August 1943) is a Barbadian-born English former first-class cricketer. Worrell was born in Barbados at Saint Thomas, and was educated on the island at Combermere School. He came to England to join ...
being dismissed by Solkar. This was to remain as the best bowling figures for the 1971 season. Prasanna took 0/81 in 33 overs. Venkat went on to play all the three Test matches while Prasanna did not appear in any. Hampshire played without their regular opener
Roy Marshall Roy Edwin Marshall (25 April 1930 – 27 October 1992) was a West Indian cricketer who played in four Tests from 1951 to 1952. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1959. Early career The son of a wealthy plantation owner, Marshall was bo ...
and fast bowler
Bob Cottam Bob Cottam (born Robert Michael Henry Cottam, 16 October 1944, Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire) is a former English cricketer who played in four Tests from 1969 to 1972. Cottam was a right-handed batsman, who bowled right-arm fast-medium. The crick ...
.
Barry Richards Barry Anderson Richards (born 21 July 1945) is a former South African first-class cricketer. A right-handed "talent of such enormous stature", Richards is considered one of South Africa's most successful batsmen. He was able to play only four ...
started off with two fours being well caught and bowled by Solkar. Hampshire was all out for 198 before tea. On the second day Mankad scored a century in five hours while Viswanath scored his third hundred of the tour. Richards scored 45 including a six off Venkat while the other opener
Richard Lewis Richard, Rich, Richie, Rick, Ricky or Dick Lewis may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Richard Field Lewis Jr. (1907–1957), American radio network owner * Dick "Rocko" Lewis (Richard Henry Lewis III, 1908–1966), American entertainer * Rich ...
top scored with 71 in 165 minutes and a six off Prasanna. Captain
Richard Gilliat Richard Michael Charles Gilliat (born 20 May 1944 Ware, Hertfordshire) is a retired English first-class cricketer. Gilliat was educated at Charterhouse and Christ Church, Oxford. He represented Oxford University and Hampshire as a left-handed ...
scored his second 50 of the match, batting only 135 minutes for 71 with ten fours and a six. India won by five wickets for their fourth win in a row.


v Minor Counties

:;At County Ground, Lakenham July 28,29,30 Minor Counties (203–5 decl and 199–6 decl) drew with Indians (252–3 decl and 26–0). It rained for 14 hours before the scheduled start of the match and there was no play on the first day. Minor Counties declared at tea on the second day at 203. India in turn declared on 252, Solkar's 44* with two sixes and five fours being a bright knock. The match ended in a tame draw.


v Surrey

:;At
The Oval The Oval, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Kia Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, located in the borough of Lambeth, in south London. The Oval has been the home ground of Surrey County Cricket Club since ...
31 July, August 1,2 Surrey (269 and 257–4 decl) drew with Indians (326–8 decl). The wicket provided little help to spinners and India rested
Chandra Chandra ( sa, चन्द्र, Candra, shining' or 'moon), also known as Soma ( sa, सोम), is the Hindu god of the Moon, and is associated with the night, plants and vegetation. He is one of the Navagraha (nine planets of Hinduism) and ...
and Venkataraghavan. Surrey, who were to win the County Championship in 1971, had
Geoff Arnold Geoffrey Graham Arnold (born 3 September 1944) is an English cricketer who played 34 Test matches and 14 One Day Internationals for the England cricket team. His nickname of "Horse" was based on his initials of GG. He was a seam and swing bowl ...
, who was the twelfth man in the second Test, and
Bob Willis Robert George Dylan Willis (born Robert George Willis; 30 May 1949 – 4 December 2019) was an English cricketer, who represented England between 1971 and 1984. A right-handed fast bowler, Willis is regarded by many as one of the greatest fa ...
.
Graham Roope Graham Richard James Roope (12 July 1946 – 26 November 2006) was an English cricketer, who appeared in twenty-one Tests and eight ODIs for England between 1973 and 1978. He also played for Surrey, Berkshire and Griqualand West in a career s ...
added 61 for the fourth wicket with
Younis Ahmed Mohammad Younis Ahmed (born 20 October 1947) is a Pakistani former first-class cricketer who played in four Test matches and two One Day Internationals between 1969 and 1987. Primarily a middle-order batsman, he played first-class cricket f ...
and 63 with
Intikhab Alam Intikhab Alam Khan (Urdu:) (born 28 December 1941) is a Pakistani cricket coach and former cricketer who played in 47 Test matches and four One Day Internationals from 1959 to 1977. He captained Pakistan in 17 Tests between 1969 and 1975. He a ...
for the sixth wicket. Roope hit a six off Prasanna and six fours; Intikhab, two sixes off Bedi. Prasanna who had just recovered from a flu bowled all over the place but Bedi took 7 for 111. India scored 28 runs in 90 minutes on the first day and took three hours to reach hundred. The crowd responded with slow hand clap. Mankad then hit four fours in three overs but got out for 77. Jayantilal scored only 36 runs in first two sessions on the second day. He was eventually run out for 84 in five hours and 11 fours. There was little point left in the match after India's declaration on the last day.


v Yorkshire

:;At
Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...
11, 12, 13 August Indians (145) drew with Yorkshire (137–3). India won the toss and batted. Wadekar top scored with 50 in 85 minutes, out of 145 all out. Yorkshire reached 137 for 3 by lunch on the second day. Rain washed out the rest of the match.


v Nottinghamshire

:;At
Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...
14, 16, 17 August Indians (168–6 decl and 145–4 decl) drew with Nottinghamshire (69–7 decl and 115–6). The first seven hours of the match were rained off. India declared at 168 for 7 and Nottinghamshire, who had rested
Garry Sobers Sir Garfield St Aubrun Sobers, (born 28 July 1936), also known as Sir Gary or Sir Garry Sobers, is a former cricketer who played for the West Indies between 1954 and 1974. A highly skilled bowler, an aggressive batsman and an excellent fielder, ...
, in turn declared immediately after saving the follow on. Following a third declaration after lunch on the third day, Notts had a target of 245 in 110 minutes plus 20 overs. At tea, they were 75 for two, and 94/4 at the start of the mandatory 20 overs. Though the sixth wicket fell with four overs left, Nottinghamshire saved the match.
Chandra Chandra ( sa, चन्द्र, Candra, shining' or 'moon), also known as Soma ( sa, सोम), is the Hindu god of the Moon, and is associated with the night, plants and vegetation. He is one of the Navagraha (nine planets of Hinduism) and ...
took all six wickets in the second innings for figures of 20-8-34-6. These were curiously similar to his bowling in the third Test that began two days later.


v Sussex

:;At
Hove Hove is a seaside resort and one of the two main parts of the city of Brighton and Hove, along with Brighton in East Sussex, England. Originally a "small but ancient fishing village" surrounded by open farmland, it grew rapidly in the 19th cen ...
25, 26, 27 August Indians (220 and 276-7) drew with Sussex (386-9 decl). Indians started this match the day after the finish of the third Test and were to spend the next three days playing Somerset at Taunton. Gavaskar scored 37 in 42 minutes with eight fours. Solkar, promoted to No. 4, made 90 in 215 minutes with nine fours and was the last man out. After the first six wickets fell for 126, he added 71 with
Kirmani Kirmani or Kermani () is a locational surname of Persian origin, which originally meant a person from the city of Kerman, Iran. Notable people with the surname include: * Abu al-Hakam al-Kirmani (died 1066), Andalus philosopher * Afdhal al-Din abu ...
for the seventh wicket.
Tony Greig Anthony William Greig (6 October 194629 December 2012) was a South African-born Test cricket captain turned commentator. Greig qualified to play for the England cricket team by virtue of his Scottish parentage. He was a tall () all-rounder w ...
took four wickets while
John Snow John Snow (15 March 1813 – 16 June 1858) was an English physician and a leader in the development of anaesthesia and medical hygiene. He is considered one of the founders of modern epidemiology, in part because of his work in tracing the so ...
failed to get any. Mike Buss and
Geoff Greenidge Geoffrey Alan Greenidge (born 26 May 1948) is a former West Indian cricketer who played in five Test matches from 1972 to 1973. His international career ended abruptly when he took part in a tour of Rhodesia, which was then under white minority ...
scored 199 before the first wicket fell. Buss who was 15 at the end of the first day reached his hundred before lunch on the second, out of 154. His eventual 140 was scored in 195 minutes with two sixes and eighteen does. Greenidge took 205 minutes for 62. Prasanna took 5 for 137 which was his best bowling for the tour in what was to be his last match. Sussex took a lead of 146. Indians batted dourly to save the match. Jayantilal took three and a half hours for his 57 while Viswanath took two and a half for his 38. Indians were only 29 ahead when the seventh wicket fell and eighty minutes remained. Kirmani and D. Govindraj played out the time.


v Somerset

:;At
Taunton Taunton () is the county town of Somerset, England, with a 2011 population of 69,570. Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-century monastic foundation, Taunton Castle, which later became a priory. The Normans built a castle owned by the ...
28, 29, 30 August Indians (349-8 decl and 162-5 decl) drew with Somerset (226-4 decl and 127-2). India went from 31/0 to 57/4 with
Tom Cartwright Thomas William Cartwright (22 July 1935 – 30 April 2007) was an English cricketer. Playing largely for Somerset and Warwickshire, he took over 1,600 wickets as a medium-pace bowler, though he began his career as a top-order batsman, and was ...
taking all the wickets. Solkar was dropped on 17, and survived again when Peter Robinson stepped on the ropes while taking a catch. Cartwright also dismissed Abbas Ali Baig after a fifth wicket stand of 71. He took 5/72 in a single spell of 29 overs. Solkar and Abid Ali added 134 for the sixth wicket. Solkar made 113 in 170 minutes with 18 fours and a six. India declared 22 minutes into the second day when Abid completed his hundred. He took 145 minutes over it and hit two sixes and 15 fours. Bad light affected play on the first two days and there was no result despite two declarations on the final day.
Brian Close Dennis Brian Close, (24 February 1931 – 13 September 2015) was an English first-class cricketer. He was picked to play against New Zealand in July 1949, when he was 18 years old. Close went on to play 22  Test matches for England, ...
scored his fifth hundred of the season, scoring 103* in 210 minutes with 15 fours. Somerset declared 123 runs behind. Wadekar made 74 (12 fours and one six) for India in the second innings. Somerset were 38/1 at tea and ended on 127/2. Cartwright completed a hundred wickets in a season for the eighth time and was awarded a silver tankard.


v Worcestershire

:;At
New Road, Worcester New Road is a cricket ground in the English city of Worcester. It has been the home ground of Worcestershire County Cricket Club since 1896. Since October 2017 the ground has been known for sponsorship purposes as Blackfinch New Road following ...
1, 2, 3 September Indians (383-3 decl and 150-8 decl) drew with Worcestershire (248 and 250-5). Wadekar and Gavaskar started the match with tour aggregates of 909 and 811 runs. Just before tea on the first day, Wadekar completed his 1000. At the break he was 98 not out. After Jayantilal fell for two, Wadekar and Gavaskar added 327 for the second wicket. It was a record for the English season, improving on 301 by Phil Sharpe and
Doug Padgett Douglas Ernest Vernon Padgett (born 20 July 1934) is a former English cricketer, who played more than 500 first-class matches and represented England in Tests twice, both in 1960. Cricket writer Colin Bateman recorded Padgett was, "nimble, happ ...
for Yorkshire against Glamorgan. Wadekar hit 16 fours, two sixes off Kevin Griffith in his 150 in 321 minutes. His hundred took 234 minutes. India ended the first day on 363 for 2, Gavaskar 188 not out. Gavaskar completed his thousand on the second morning but fell for 194. It was the highest score made for the Indians in the tour. The declaration came soon after at 383 for 3. Worcestershire's fifth wicket fell at 92 but John Parker and Keith Wilkinson added 100 for the sixth wicket. The 19-year-old Parker making his debut for the county, scored 91 and would go on to captain
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
. India declared at lunch on the final day 285 ahead and 210 minutes left. Worcestershire fell 40 runs short with Jim Yardley reaching a century.


v TN Pearce's XI

:;At
North Marine Road Ground, Scarborough North Marine Road Ground, formerly known as Queen's, is a cricket ground in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England. It is the home of Scarborough Cricket Club which hosts the Scarborough Festival and the Yorkshire County Cricket Club plays a se ...
4, 6, 7 September TN Pearce's XI (357-3 decl and 199-3 decl) drew with Indians (306 and 252-5). Tom Pearce's XI put up 357 for 3 on the first day. Roy Virgin made a stylish century (176), adding 155 with
Brian Bolus John Brian Bolus (31 January 1934 – 7 May 2020) was an English cricketer who played in seven Test matches from 1963 to 1964. Cricket commentator Colin Bateman stated, "Bolus was essentially an accumulator, dependably totting up 25,000 run ...
for the first wicket and 146 with
Keith Fletcher Keith William Robert Fletcher (born 20 May 1944) is an English former first-class cricketer who played for Essex and England. He later became England's team manager. His nickname was "The Gnome of Essex", so christened by his Essex teammate, R ...
for the third. Bolus was run out by Viswanath. Mankad
carried his bat In cricket, the term carry the bat (or carry one's bat) refers to an opening batsman (no. 1 and 2) who is not dismissed ("not out") when the team innings is closed. The term is mainly used when the innings closes after all 10 wickets have fall ...
for 154* for India. He scored his fifty in 140 minutes and hundred in over four hours. Solkar hit a half century in 70 minutes. Pearce's XI made 87 for one at the end of the second day. Bolus hit a six and 14 fours in 106*. Set 251 in 240 minutes after a declaration, India won with half an hour to spare. Gavaskar scored 128 in 155 minutes with ten fours and four sixes. He brought up his fifty in 65 minutes and hundred in 120, hitting
Peter Parfitt Peter Howard Parfitt (born 8 December 1936) is an English former cricketer. He attended Fakenham Grammar School, and King Edward VII Grammar School, in Kings Lynn, Norfolk. The cricket correspondent Colin Bateman noted, "he was a stocky, po ...
for two sixes and a four in one over and
Brian Close Dennis Brian Close, (24 February 1931 – 13 September 2015) was an English first-class cricketer. He was picked to play against New Zealand in July 1949, when he was 18 years old. Close went on to play 22  Test matches for England, ...
for a six and a four off consecutive balls in another.


References


Sources

* Sunder Rajan, India vs England 1971, Jaico Publishing House.
CricketArchive – tour itineraries


Annual reviews

*
Playfair Cricket Annual ''Playfair Cricket Annual'' is a compact annual about cricket that is published in the United Kingdom each April, just before the English cricket season is due to begin. It has been published every year since 1948. Its main purposes are to revie ...
1972
Wisden Cricketers Almanack
1972


External links



at
ESPNcricinfo ESPN cricinfo (formerly known as Cricinfo or CricInfo) is a sports news website exclusively for the game of cricket. The site features news, articles, live coverage of cricket matches (including liveblogs and scorecards), and ''StatsGuru'', a ...

India in England, 1971
at ESPNcricinfo archive {{International cricket tours of England 1971 in English cricket 1971 in Indian cricket
1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses ( February 25, July 22 and August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 10, and August 6). The world population increased by 2.1% this year, the highest increase in history. Events Ja ...
International cricket competitions from 1970–71 to 1975