5 nostalgic moments from England vs India Test matches

India and England share a long history in Tests. From the first tour made by Independent India in 1952 under the leadership of Vijay Hazare to the forgettable 2014 series under MS Dhoni, India's Test matches against England in England have always tended to bring about excitement. The lush green fields in English stadiums, along with the pronounced swing of the Duke cricket ball have made for some excellent encounters over the years.

In the age of T20, a Test series between England and India still manages to offer a great spectacle. More importantly, they also offer a more even contest between bat and ball. The often overcast English conditions, the grass on the pitches, and the seam of the ball ensure that the bowlers are not always cannon-fodder.

As India begin their latest Test series in England on Wednesday (August 1), we look at the most nostalgic occasions in India's test matches in England over the years. From Vengsarkar's vintage brilliance to the last of Rahul's rearguards, the tour of England has always been one to behold for Indian cricket fans.

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#1. 2011: The last of Rahul’s rearguards and the beginning of the end for Sachin

Tendulkar walking out to an standing ovation after his last Test innings at Lord's

India's tour of England in 2011 was expected to be an evenly contested series between the number one and number two Test teams in the world at that time. However, the series quickly turned into a nightmare for India as they were whitewashed 4-0. MS Dhoni’s team would later go on to lose in Australia by the same margin as they spectacularly relinquished their status as the number one team in the world.

The Test series in England in 2011 was more a case of England vs Dravid as India’s premier Test batsman scored 3 centuries amidst the carnage around him and top scoring for India with 461 runs. To put it into context, the next best Indian batsman was Sachin Tendulkar with 273 and an average of 34.

The series marked the beginning of the end of Sachin Tendulkar’s stellar career. It started with the nation praying for Sachin’s 100th hundred and ended with a clarity - India could no longer rely on Sachin in Test matches against premier opposition abroad. The most poignant moment of the series came with the standing ovation given to Tendulkar in the first Test at Lord’s in what was his last appearance at the storied venue.

#2. 2007: Zaheer’s zenith and Ganguly’s salvation

Zaheer Khan spearheaded India's bowling attack in the 2007 Test series

Zaheer Khan and Sourav Ganguly were part of the true golden age of Indian Test cricket when the Indian cricket team got in the habit of winning tests abroad. Yes, the Test teams under MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli have reached the number one ranking, but that is mostly on the back of prolonged home seasons. It was in the period of 2002-2008 that the Indian team really shone in away Test matches. Besides the 70s under Ajit Wadekar, India has not commonly had consistent success abroad.

The 2007 India tour of England under Rahul Dravid brought one of the most memorable away Test series wins. It was the zenith of Zaheer Khan's Test career as he bamboozled the English batsmen on his way to winning the Man of the Series award with 18 wickets in 3 tests. It was also the salvation for Sourav Ganguly after his debacles with Greg Chappell as he played a number of significant innings including 37 and 57 in the 3rd test at the Oval to help India draw the Test and win the series.

The defining moment of the Test was spurred by jelly beans on the field as Zaheer was aggravated enough by the English team to fire in one of the best spells of his career

#3. 2002: The Headingley fortification by Sanjay Bangar and Rahul Dravid

Sanjay Bangar avoids a bouncer in his tenacious knock against England

The 2002 India tour of England is mostly remembered for the dramatic Natwest ODI series final, the shirtless Indian Captain passionately waving his India jersey, and THAT partnership between Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif.

However, the dramatic final obscures one the finest performances in Indian test history. England had dominated the series so far, winning the first Test at Lord’s, while easily holding onto a draw at Trent Bridge. The third Test was played at Headingley in Leeds. On a green top under overcast conditions, India’s captain, Sourav Ganguly, made an apparent blunder by deciding to bat first. But, Dravid and Sanjay Bangar had other ideas. Under the gloomy Headingley skies, they batted with the discipline reminiscent of Sunil Gavaskar, allowing Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly to make hay on Day 2 and Day 3.

Tendulkar top scored with 193, Ganguly scored a hundred, while Dravid was given the man-of-the-match for his 144. India racked up an incredible 628 and won the match by an innings and 46 runs.

The most nostalgic moment of the match came on day 1 of the test with a sweat-drenched Sanjay Bangar walking away after being dismissed for a tenacious 68 in 5 hours which set up one of India’s most famous wins.

#4. 1996: The rise of “The Wall” and “The Prince of Kolkata”

Sourav Ganguly soaks in the acclaim at Lord's in 1996

The tour of England in 1996 is statistically forgettable for the Indian cricket team. They lost the Test series and the ODI series. Their captain, Mohammad Azharuddin, was sacked. Heck, they even lost matches to Derbyshire and Northamptonshire. However, the series did have a silver lining for India and provided one of the most nostalgic moments for Indian cricket in England.

A couple of young Indian cricketers made their Test debuts in the 2nd Test at Lord’s. The match ended in a tame draw but the match saw the rise of arguably India’s greatest Test captain and Test batsman in Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid respectively, especially in away Tests. Batting under pressure at the Mecca of cricket, Dravid played out the first tour-de-force of his glorious Indian career as he scored a debut 95 in six bloody-minded hours of batting.

Sourav Ganguly scored a princely hundred with 20 boundaries and showed us the first glimpse of his strokeplay which led to his “God of the offside” moniker. The defining image: The late great Richie Benaud exclaiming, “Wonderful!” as the Prince of Kolkata brings up his hundred with a cracking cover drive.

#5. 1986: Vengsarkar's vintage brilliance and Gavaskar’s gumption

Dilip Vengsarkar scored three centuries at the Lord's

India’s tour of England in 1986 is memorable for a multitude of reasons. The visitors won the three Test match series 2-0. England’s batsman struggled with the Indian seamer’s movement in the English conditions. English bowlers struggled for answers against a technically sound batting line up. In many ways, this tour was a paradox. Indian batsmen playing well against swing and bounce. The English struggling to bat in English conditions. India closing out tests nervelessly.

However, two Indian stars will remember fondly this tour for very different reasons. Sunil Gavaskar had been a prolific run-scorer for India till now. With double centuries aplenty against the mighty West Indies attach home and away, he was expected to contribute significantly in this tour. And contribute he did, but in a very different manner from what was expected. Gavaskar’s contribution to the cause was average in terms of runs scored, but he made a priceless contribution in terms of the important but often forgotten variable in attritional test match cricket - time. He scored 20+ in 5 of the 6 innings, and spent more an average of 99 minutes at the crease, blunting the swinging Duke ball, and making it easier for the Indian middle order to bat.

While Gavaskar’s gumption was the shield for India, Vengsarkar’s vintage brilliance was the sword to wristily slice through the English bowling. He became the first away batsman to score three international centuries at the Mecca of Cricket when he scored a match-winning hundred at Lord’s creating one of the most memorable moments for Indian cricket as India dominated a Test series away from home. Dilip Vengsarkar with both hands raised in the sky with the Lord’s crowd giving him a standing ovation is the defining image of this Test series.