Five Best Test Innings by Indian Batsmen in England

#2 Sachin Tendulkar 119 at Old Trafford 1990

Tendulkar had reached his first century at a strike rate of more than 60

India was 109/4 chasing 408 on a tricky Old Trafford pitch that had something for both quicks and spinners. The game could have basically been written off at that point, as Vengsarkar had just been dismissed.

In his place came a 17-year-old who would have looked more in place at a school match rather than a test. That player was a Mumbai batsman named Sachin Tendulkar who had shown promise but was yet to make a Test hundred.

Soon the artisan Mohammed Azharuddin was also gone and Tendulkar was partnered with the legend Kapil Dev.

Just when the partnership was flourishing, Dev got out and Tendulkar was stuck with fellow youngster Manoj Prabhakar. Yet the Mumbai batsman remained unfazed and decided to relentlessly attack the English bowling.

Eddie Hemmings was driven past cover on several occasions. The fearsome Devon Malcom was nonchalantly flicked on several occasions by Tendulkar. Angus Fraser and Carl Lewis were pulled all over the park.

England’s bowling attack on a tricky final day pitch was treated like club bowlers in Tendulkar’s childhood hunting ground Shivaji Park.

In no time, the youngster had reached his first century at a strike rate of more than 60- rather ridiculous considering that he was batting to save a test match. Tendulkar had done that and much more. And just like that, a legend was born.