Top 5 Test knocks by Indian batsmen against England since 2006

India’s cricketing ties with England rolls back to the 1930s and since then the pendulum has swung both ways in favour of England and India. India struggled in the initial couple of decades against the cricketing giant, but soon got to terms with the elasticities that’s imperative in getting the better of the opposition.

Over the time period, India have come up with some remarkable shows courtesy some brilliant individual performances. Even in the recently concluded series, they have managed to pulverise England by a margin of 4-0 and some part of the credit goes to a string of brilliant performances by their batsmen.

Batting has been a strong point for India and they like to thrive on it. We take a look at some of the best performances by an Indian batsman against England since 2006.

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#1 Karun Nair - 303 off 381 balls, Chennai (2016)

The fifth and final Test of England’s tour to India was a dead rubber, but that didn’t take down one of the most herculean knocks by an Indian batsman in Test cricket. Karun Nair was India’s hero of the day, scampering his way to an audacious triple ton.

Courtesy three defeats on the trot, England’s morale took a dip and Karun Nair added insult to injury through some awe-inspiring display of batsmanship. Nair tired the pacers down and smothered any spin that the spinners tried to generate.

India looked a tad jittery, requiring 266 to erase the deficit, when Nair took the field. He was a bit cautious to start with but took the attack to the English bowlers later on. With 32 fours and four maximums. Nair didn’t let England a foot into the door.

He accomplished his century, double century and triple century on the fourth day of the Test and therefore guided India to their highest ever Test total in 759/7.

#2 Murali Vijay - 146 of 361 balls, Nottingham (2014)

Vijay’s 146 set the ton for India in the series

It was the first Test of the series at Nottingham and India looked to start their campaign on a healthy note against the hosts. The pitch at Trent Bridge is known for assisting seam bowling in the first couple of sessions and therefore the Indian openers needed to put their heads down to manufacture a solid start.

Murali Vijay didn’t disappoint one bit and notched up India’s maiden ton of the series with an innings of 146 that included 25 boundaries and one solitary six. Not only did he wear out the new ball, but also played the entire day to end proceedings for India at 259/4 after 90 overs.

Vijay wasn’t severe on any bowler, but never allowed any of them to get under his skins. Riding on Vijay’s century and some gritty rearguard action from the tail, India posted a substantial 457 in the first innings of the opening match.

#3 Virat Kohli - 235 off 340 balls, Mumbai (2016)

A jubilated Virat Kohli raises his bat to the Wankhede

Sachin Tendulkar’s stride on the field used to turn up the decibels, more so when he used to accomplish a milestone. After his retirement from international cricket at the Wankhede, a hush dispersed across the stadium as he bid adieu to his home crowd.

Fast forward three years in 2016 - Wankhede was back on its feet, cheering for a stupendously fearless batsman by the name of Virat Kohli. Not only did he notch up 235 runs at a strike rate of 70, but also became the first Indian to as many as three double tons in a year.

Peppering all corners of the ground, he guided India to a score, which turned out enough to hand England an innings defeat. Playing aggressive cricket, yet curbing himself from going aerial, demonstrated the stature of the innings. Wankhede couldn’t have Tendulkar back, but they have the luxury of relishing Kohli for seven to eight years at a minimum.

#4 Rahul Dravid - 146* of 266 balls, London (2011)

Dravid was India’s go-to man when the chips were down

India was tottering at a score-line of 3-0 in their tour of England in 2011. England were all over India and looked to achieve a clean-sweep. Courtesy Ian Bell’s 235 and Kevin Pietersen’s 175, England haemorrhaged 591 runs in the first innings.

After the run fest, India had all the reasons to go into their shell. Nonetheless, Rahul Dravid wasn’t prepared to hand it over to England. He opened the batting for India and carried his bat through for a score of 146 with 20 boundaries.

With wickets falling at the rate of knots, Dravid was at his usual calm and composed self as he had answers to all the deliveries hurled at him by the Englishmen. ‘The Wall’ of Indian cricket sneaked India past the follow-on mark along with Amit Mishra’s resolute 43 runs of 77 balls. It’s indeed difficult to break through the wall and England got a fair taste of him during that knock.

#5 Sachin Tendulkar - 103 of 196 balls, Chennai, (2008)

Tendulkar’s ton helped India get over the target set by England

Hunting down a target in excess of 380 is a tumultuous task on a fifth-day sub-continent wicket. India defied the inevitable and scored the runs in 98 overs. It panned out to be India’s second highest successful run chases in Test cricket.

Sachin Tendulkar scored 103 of the 387 runs. Along with Yuvraj Singh, in a stand of 163 for the fifth wicket, Tendulkar led his side to a historic win at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in the first test of the series.

He rotated the strike frequently enough (45 singles, 8 couples and 2 triples) with an odd boundary here and there, which was vicious enough to keep the English bowlers at bay. Taking into the account the match situation and also the quality of the English bowling, this had to be rated among Tendulkar’s best in Test cricket versus England.