5 epic Test matches India should’ve won

#5 Eden Gardens, Calcutta, January 1979, Match drawn with West Indies

Dilip Vengsarkar shared a memorable 344 runs parnership with Sunil Gavaskar in the second innings

The 70s was a great time for the Indian Test team. India registered many a famous victory against opponents in their own dens. However, Sunil Gavaskar’s men fell short of a classic victory against a visiting team to India that boasted of a skipper like Alvin Kallicharan. Batting first India made 300 and conceded a deficit of 27 to West Indies who were propped up by Basil Williams’ 111 at the top.

India posted a mammoth 361 for 1 in their second innings thanks to a 344 run second-wicket partnership between Sunil Gavaskar (182*) and Dilip Vengsarkar (157*). West Indies were set a target of 335 and they slipped from a comfortable 133-2 to 183-8. Some lower order resistance and 8 precious deliveries played out by the 11^th man Sylvester Clarke ensured that West Indies were 197 for 9 in 105.1 overs. India had two quality spinners in S Venkataraghavan and Bishan Singh Bedi along with Kapil Dev who took the new ball.

West Indies still managed to save the game playing out more than an entire day thanks largely to David Murray and Kallicharan, the skipper himself. That rarely happens on a fifth day track in sub-continents.