Five Best Test Innings by Indian Batsmen in England

#1 Sunil Gavaskar 221 at the Oval 1979

Gavaskar decided to attack the English bowling as he flicked and drove the English bowlers all over the park

There are very few things more daunting in Test cricket than a 400+ target in the fourth innings.

Only four teams have successfully chased a total that large in Test Cricket History. By 1979, only teams had done so. Tell that to Sunil Gavaskar.

Three years after scoring a century in one of those two aforementioned chases against West Indies, Gavaskar played one of the great test innings at the Oval as India were set 438 to win.

Traditionally, the less famous London ground is tricky to play on the final day considering the spin that it generates. Moreover, England’s bowling attack was absolutely splendid with Bob Willis, Ian Botham, Mike Hendrick and Phil Edmonds. That did not perturb Gavaskar as him and Chetan Chauhan started steadily accumulating.

The openers were 76 without no loss at the end of the fourth day and needed 362 more runs in the fifth day- unheard off in the 1970s.

At the start of the last day, Gavaskar decided to attack the English bowling as he flicked and drove the English bowlers all over the park. Edmonds and fellow spinner Peter Willey were particularly punished as Gavaskar danced down the track on multiple occasions.

Suddenly the impossible seemed possible as India reached 213 for no loss halfway through the day.

While Chauhan was dismissed, this brought in the more attacking Vengsarkar. Yet for once, Gavaskar matched his Mumbai teammate shot for shot and in fact had a higher strike rate. The original Little Master could sense a famous victory.

Yet suddenly it all collapsed, Vengsarkar was dismissed and the promoted Kapil Dev also faltered.

Even then, India only needed 50 runs within eight overs when Ian Botham came on. Gavaskar made his first mistake as he clipped Botham’s first ball straight to David Gower in a soft dismissal.

India eventually settled for a draw, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that Gavaskar had played one of his best innings and definitely the best knock by an Indian in England.