India v England - Second Test

Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad

India: *SM Gavaskar, RJ Shastri, PR Umrigar, VS Hazare, GR Viswanath, M Azharuddin, +FM Engineer, Kapil Dev, J Srinath, BS Bedi, BS Chandrasekhar.
England: JB Hobbs, *L Hutton, WR Hammond, KF Barrington, MC Cowdrey, IT Botham, +LEG Ames, JC Laker, AV Bedser, DL Underwood, JB Statham.

Debuts: Nil
Umpires: LH Barker (WI) & CJ Mitchley (SAF)
Toss: England

Whilst the second match of England's inaugural series against India broke any number of records, it will not be remembered as a competitive spectacle, played as it was on the slowest and most unresponsive of wickets imaginable. England took over a day and a half to crawl to a somewhat disappointing 387, an innings that was enlivened in its latter stages by Les Ames' maiden ATG century, but this was only the hors d'oeuvre for the huge main course that was served up by India's batsmen over the next three days.

Gavaskar and Shastri compiled 195 for the first wicket, India's second highest opening stand and the sixth hundred plus liaison for this pair, then after the unlikely figure of Ken Barrington removed both Shastri (90) and Umrigar (0) in his first over, Hazare hooked up with his skipper to pile on a further 175 runs for the third wicket as India cruised towards England's total. Hazare missed out on his second ton of the series when he edged the persevering Bedser behind on the fourth morning for 80, but Gavaskar had already raised his ninth ATG hundred by this time, and he converted it to his fifth double hundred as India passed 400 with only three wickets down.

When Viswanath (24) was unfortunately judged lbw against Botham by umpire Mitchley, India had been 'reduced' to 410-4, but any hopes of further inroads for England were dashed as Mohammad Azharuddin and Gavaskar constructed a record-breaking partnership for the fifth wicket. With Laker and Underwood wholly ineffectual the tourists had no control of proceedings, and the scoring rate increased markedly despite Hutton's defensive fields. Gavaskar was missed by Ames off Bedser when on 285, but shortly after tea on the fourth day he brought up the seventh (and slowest) triple century in ATG history, a feat that sparked a crowd invasion that held up play for some ten minutes.

The score moved past 600 as Azharuddin reached three figures off just 130 balls, and by the time stumps were drawn on the fourth day the scoreboard read a remarkable 719-4, with Azharuddin on 153, Gavaskar on an Indian record 359 and the partnership past 300, an ATG record for the fifth wicket. The question now was whether Gavaskar would declare overnight in order to have a go at a battle weary England, or whether he would press on in search of Bradman's ATG record 414 and West Indies' highest ever total of 803-2, set against India at Kanpur.

With the pitch showing no signs of fatigue he chose the latter option, and after losing Azharuddin for a career high 179 out of a partnership of 367 - the wicket fell on septuple nelson! - the final morning saw Gavaskar breach the 400 barrier as India duly passed the 800 mark and moved on into hitherto uncharted territory. Another pitch invasion followed as Gavaskar joined Bradman in the 400 club, and all that remained now was for India's captain to move past the Don, a feat that was achieved half an hour after lunch with a single to third man off Underwood. Gavaskar immediately declared, and walked off the pitch with 415 runs to his name, having batted for 963 minutes and faced 762 balls, both ATG records. India's final total was a record breaking 844-6, and the 247.5 overs sent down by England's toiling bowlers was the highest number ever delivered in an innings. Five of the attack went for over a hundred runs apiece, with the figures of Laker (0-195) and Underwood (1-178) the most harrowing.

Gavaskar claimed a share of another record, remaining on the field of play for the entire match as England compiled a meaningless 122-2 in the time that remained, and when time was finally called the curtain had been brought down on a match that had delighted the statisticians but had done little to promote the game in the eyes of the casual spectator. Sunil Gavaskar must receive great credit for his feat of endurance, but one would hope that the pitches prepared for the remaining three Tests will provide a fairer contest between bat and ball, for if this is not the case the series faces a slow, agonizing and unedifying death.

Scores
England 1st Inns 387 (Ames 111, Hammond 82, Hutton 50)
India 1st Inns 844-6 dec. (Gavaskar 415*, Azharuddin 179, Shastri 90, Hazare 80)
England 2nd Inns 122-2 (Hammond 67*)

MATCH DRAWN


Man of the Match: SM Gavaskar