India secured a historic first-ever Test victory at Lord’s on their 11th attempt, breaking a streak of eight defeats at the iconic venue.
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India’s Historic Turnaround at Lord’s in 1986
When Kapil Dev led India to England for a three-Test series in the summer of 1986, the odds were stacked heavily against his side. India had played 10 Tests at the iconic Lord’s since their debut in 1932, managing only two draws and suffering eight defeats. Their form leading into the series was equally uninspiring—India hadn’t won a Test since November 1984, a drought spanning ten matches.
England, captained by David Gower, had a formidable lineup, fresh from a series win in India during the 1984-85 season. Their batting order, boasting names like Graham Gooch, Mike Gatting, and Allan Lamb, looked daunting. So eyebrows were raised when Kapil Dev chose to field first after winning the toss. England’s openers, Gooch and Tim Robinson, gave their team a strong start, putting on 66 before India mounted a comeback.
Chetan Sharma, whose reputation had taken a hit after Javed Miandad’s last-ball six in Sharjah just two months earlier, redeemed himself spectacularly. The young pacer removed Gower, Gatting, and Lamb in quick succession, while Maninder Singh chipped in by dismissing Robinson. England were suddenly 98 for four. Gooch, not yet the full-fledged Indian nemesis he would later become, joined Derek Pringle to steady the innings with a 147-run stand for the fifth wicket. Gooch reached a classy century and Pringle contributed a gritty 63. But India again found their spark—Chetan bowled Gooch, and Roger Binny ran through the lower order. England collapsed to 294, with Chetan finishing with a five-wicket haul.
India’s reply was marked by patience. Sunil Gavaskar batted three hours for his 34, while Mohinder Amarnath held firm with a four-hour 69. But the standout was Dilip Vengsarkar, whose 126 made him the first overseas batter to score three consecutive hundreds at Lord’s. His innings, following his 103 in 1979 and 157 in 1982, was a masterclass of grace and timing. A late middle-order collapse meant India finished at 341, securing a 47-run lead that could have been more—but the statement had already been made. India were no longer timid visitors at the “Headquarters of Cricket.”
Kapil’s burst
England’s second innings showed brief resistance, particularly through a 73-run fourth-wicket stand between Mike Gatting and Allan Lamb, which temporarily countered Kapil Dev’s initial three-wicket burst with the new ball. However, Ravi Shastri’s dismissal of Lamb — caught behind — reopened the door for India. From there, Maninder Singh took control with a masterful display of left-arm spin, snaring three wickets for just nine runs in 20.4 overs and ensuring England were bowled out for 180 at the close of day four.
Then came captain Kapil Dev, who turned any flicker of doubt into celebration. In a blistering 10-ball cameo, he smashed 23 not out, including four boundaries and a six, wrapping up the chase in just 18 minutes. The win, achieved at the same ground where Kapil had lifted the 1983 World Cup, was symbolic — it underscored India’s growing stature in world cricket.
India took a 1-0 lead in the series and later clinched a 2-0 win, their first Test series victory in England in 15 years. Kapil Dev was named Player of the Match for his all-round heroics.
Brief Scores:
England – 294 (Gooch 114, Pringle 63; Chetan 5-64, Binny 3-55) & 180 (Gatting 40; Kapil 4-52, Maninder 3-9)
India – 341 (Vengsarkar 126, Amarnath 69; Dilley 4-146) & 136/5 (Vengsarkar 33; Dilley 2-28)
Result: India won by 5 wickets.
Player of the Match: Kapil Dev