5 instances when India's fast bowlers overshadowed their spinners on home soil

#4 Against England at Bombay (1981) – 12 wickets (60%)

Madan Lal registered his career best figures of 5/23 against England at Bombay

In the 1981/82 season, England toured India for a Test series after five years. The opening match of the six-Test series was at the Wankhede Stadium in Bombay.

India opted to bat first after winning the toss and crumbled to 179 all out as Ian Botham and Graham Dilley ripped through their batting line-up. With their batting counterparts not rising to the occasion, the Indian bowlers brought the hosts back into the game. Dilip Doshi took 5/39 to restrict England to 166. Kapil Dev and Madan Lal chipped in with a wicket apiece.

On a difficult pitch, the Indian batting lineup managed to reach a fighting total of 227 in the second innings. Chasing 241 for victory, the visitors would have factored the threat posed by the spinners. However, it was the seam duo of Kapil Dev and Madan Lal who ran through the England line-up to propel India to an emphatic 138-run victory.

While Kapil took 5/70, Madan registered his career best figures of 5/23 to help the hosts take a 1-0 lead. It was the first time in the history of Indian cricket that their pacers took all ten wickets in an innings at home.