Top 5 Highest Scores in England v India Test Matches played in England

The Specsavers Test Series between England and India starts on Wednesday at Edgbaston. There is plenty of batting talent on show for both sides and records could tumble. Looking back at past series in England, there have been plenty of high scores and legendary innings. Looking at the top five highest scores in England has generated some interesting omissions.

Wally Hammond's 217 at The Oval in 1936, Rahul Dravid's 217 at The Oval in 2002 and Sachin Tendulkar's 193 at Headingley in 2002 have all missed out on the top five. Interestingly, five out of the top ten innings have been scored at The Oval. By the time the Fifth Test of this series comes around, and records haven't been broken, then watch the Test match carefully!

Let's take a look at the top five highest scores...

Sunil Gavaskar's 221 v England at The Oval in 1979

Sunil Gavaskar v England

The summer of 1979 had not been a good one for the Indian team. Losing all their games in the Cricket World Cup India went into the Test series against England with little confidence. By the time the Fourth Test at The Oval came around, India were 1-0 down in the series and only the weather had so far prevented that being worse. An innings defeat at Edgbaston was followed up by being shot out for 96, with Ian Botham's 5/35 doing the damage. A rearguard innings from Gundappa Viswanath secured a draw.

Rain ruined the Third Test at Headingley before England had batted themselves into a winning position at The Oval. Needing 438 to win, a draw seemed to be the best to hope for as India's second innings got underway with Gavaskar and Chetan Chauhan batting solidly. An opening partnership of 213 offered a glimmer of the impossible before Dilip Vengsarkar's 52 helped India within 76 of victory with 12 overs left.

Gavaskar's innings ended, after 443 balls, when David Gower took the catch off the bowling Ian Botham. The score at that point was 389/4 but India lost too many wickets and fell agonisingly close to a win by finishing nine runs short. All set up with a masterly innings from Gavaskar.

Ian Bell's 235 v India at The Oval in 2011

England v India

England were already 3-0 in the series when the teams met at The Oval for the Fourth Test. England had been dominant with the bat; scores of 710/7 declared, 544 and 474/8 declared had set the trend. The Fourth Test carried on in a similar vein when Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen added 350 runs for the third wicket. Pietersen's 175 was eclipsed by Bell's double century.

Bell was already in good form in the series with 269 runs from five innings. In the previous Test, he had scored 159. Bell drove to good effect but scored on both sides of the wicket as the Indian bowlers toiled. Pietersen targeted the legside in his own inimitable style as the runs piled on.

Pietersen finally departed but the partnership had easily become England's highest against India. It is still the 8th best partnership, for any wicket, for England. Bell finally fell lbw to Raina but the damage was done. England went on to win the Test and take the series 4-0.

Geoff Boycott's 246 not out v India at Headingley in 1967

Geoffrey Boycott

For most batters, a score of 246 not out would be lauded. For Geoff Boycott, it lead to being dropped from the England team. The mammoth innings spanned all of the first day of the First Test at Headingley in 1967. Boycott's home ground was subjected to a lesson in interminable dullness from the opener. The innings lasted 573 minutes, which equates to well into the second day, as Boycott frustrated the Indian bowlers and anyone else watching. Only the most stoic of Yorkshiremen would have appreciated such an innings.

Boycott's form coming into the First Test was dire and his resolve was to bat his way back into form. The three sessions yielded 25, 50 and 31 runs as India's bowling attack, including Bishen Bedi, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar and EAS Prasanna, were thwarted by Boycott's attritional batting. Having been asked by the selectors to play with more flair, the antithesis was on show.

The innings was supported by partnerships with Ken Barrington (139), Tom Graveney (107) and Basil D'Oliviera (252) before England captain Brian Close declared at 550/4. England won the match by six wickets but Boycott was dropped from the team. He was recalled for the Third Test at Edgbaston.

Alastair Cook's 294 v India at Edgbaston in 2011

England v India

A marvellous, chanceless innings from Alastair Cook at the height of his powers. Cook had come into the India series off the back of the Ashes victory in Australia, having played a monumental role, just months previous. At the Gabba, he scored his highest Test score of 235 but surpassed that at Edgbaston with 294 from 545 balls.

The innings started well with an opening partnership of 186 with Andrew Strauss. Bell's 34 from 43 balls helped add another 66 before Kevin Pietersen rattled the score along in that way he does if you don't get him early. However, it was a partnership of 222 with Eoin Morgan that really hammered home the advantage. Bopara and Prior fell cheaply before Tim Bresnan supported Cook with a half century.

WIth a triple century at his mercy, Cook's anxiety for the landmark led to picking out Raina at deep point. The game was already passed the point of saving for India and they duly lost by an innings and 242 runs.

Graham Gooch's 333 v India at Lord's in 1990

England Nets Session & Press Conference

A special innings at the 'Home of Cricket' from then England captain, Graham Gooch. It was the first Test of the series and India started brightly when Kapil Dev bowled Mike Atherton for eight. Gooch should have been gone, when on 36, but Kiran More put down the chance. India would come to rue the missed catch as Gooch plundered 43 fours and three sixes in his 333.

Partnerships of 127 with David Gower, 308 with Allan Lamb, and 192 with Robin Smith gave Gooch the platform for the first ever triple century at Lord's. Manoj Prabhakar finally removed Gooch by bowling him. Gooch, however, was not done for the match and scored 123 from just 113 balls in the second innings to set up the victory.