The ongoing match between India and England has been a bit of a massive surprise. The first and obvious reason is the quality of the pitch – good bounce, decent pace, some turn, but most importantly, batsman-friendly, if they are willing to grind it out. It is what you would call, a decent Test match pitch that has something in it for everyone.
India has conceded a massive first innings total of 537 with three English batsmen scoring tons. It is hard for a team to bat in the second innings and overtake mammoth totals. The scoreboard pressure is always against you and you are always expecting that collapse.
Secondly, the batting conditions are not exactly ideal as the first innings has used up almost two days. Day 3 and Day 4 offer tougher pitch conditions, not to mention the fact that the team batting second is tired after nearly two days on the field.
That is what makes India’s present effort, very impressive. India does have some mammoth second innings totals – 726/9 declared and 676/7 against Sri Lanka at Mumbai and Kanpur respectively, to gain leads of 333 and 256 and, 657/7 declared and 643/5 declared against Australia and South Africa respectively at Kolkata.
However, overtaking a 400-plus first innings total is never easy and it hasn’t been done too many times by India in India. We have not exactly taken the highest totals, rather the more impactful ones. Here, are 5 such occasions.
#1 627 vs South Africa, Chennai, 2008
The first of a three-match series didn’t start well for India as South Africa piled on the agony scoring 540, thanks to a score of 159 from Hashim Amla. South Africa scored at a good clip getting those runs in just 152.5 overs.
In reply, India posted a mammoth total of 627. That was largely because of a 213-run opening partnership between Virender Sehwag and Wasim Jaffer. Sehwag went on to score 319 in just 304 balls with 42 fours and 5 sixes. He added a humongous 268 runs with Rahul Dravid who scored a century too. India managed a lead of 87 runs and the match eventually ended in a draw.
India lost the second Test but came back to win the third and draw the series. They had Sehwag to thank for saving the first Test.
#2 565 vs West Indies, Kolkata, 1987
Trailing in the 4-match series 0-1, India conceded a massive 530 runs against West Indies at Kolkata. That was thanks to three centuries from the West Indian team scored by Gordon Greenidge, Gus Logie and Carl Hooper. West Indies declared their innings at 530/5 scoring very briskly (3.5 run-rate was fast in 1987).
In reply, India scored 565, thanks to Dilip Vengsarkar’s 102 retired hurt. Arun Lal scored 93, opening the innings, adding 56 with K Srikkanth, and then 96 with Mohinder Amarnath. India also managed to play out 172.2 overs in the process.
Against a good West Indian team, that was an impressive fightback under pressure. India went on to win the fourth Test thereby equalling the series and sharing the honours.
#3 527/9d vs Pakistan, Chennai, 1987
In one of the most landmark series’ between arch rivals India and Pakistan, pitting legends Imran Khan and Kapil Dev against each other, the first Test had a lot of runs. Batting first, Pakistan posted 487/9 and declared in 163 overs. Imran Khan scored an unbeaten 135 runs batting at No.8.
In reply, India posted 527 thanks to a 149-ball 123 from K Srikkanth, in an innings studded with 18 fours and 2 sixes. He added 200 for the opening wicket with Sunil Gavaskar, who missed out on a century, scoring 91. Srikkanth also added 185 for the third wicket with Vengsarkar, who missed out on a century too, out at 96.
India scored those runs in 170 overs, against a bowling attack that boasted of Wasim Akram, Imran Khan and Abdul Khadir. India did eventually lose the 5-match series 0-1, but this draw, ironically, was a thrilling start to the series.
#4 495 vs Australia, Bangalore, 2010
One of the most memorable Test matches in a Border-Gavaskar series, Australia gave themselves a genuine chance to equal the series after being 0-1 down, scoring an impressive 478 in the first innings. That was thanks to 128 from Marcus North that took Australia from 256 for 5 to the eventual total.
In reply, India posted 495, despite a poor start at 38 for 2. The rescue act came from Murali Vijay and Sachin Tendulkar, who added 308 for the third wicket. Vijay scored 139 and Sachin scored a double ton. His 214 pushed Indian to a slender lead, even though India collapsed from 486 for 5 to 495 all out. That turned the match into a second innings shoot-out. Australia were dismissed for 223 in their second innings.
Set a target of 207, India won it in style, chasing it down in just 45 overs, with Cheteshwar Pujara giving a good account of himself. India took the series 2-0 as India won the Test by 7 wickets.
#5 499 v Australia, Mohali, 2013
India conceded 408 to Australia, who probably saw a chance to equal the series, down 0-2 in the series already. Steve Smith scored 92 and Mitchell Starc was out on 99. In reply, India posted 499, thanks to a 289-run opening partnership.
It was a record-breaking one, too, Shikhar Dhawan scoring 187 in just 174 balls on debut, while Murali Vijay scored 153. India did go from 384 for 2 to 499 all out, with Virat Kohli stranded on one end at 67. Australia were all out for 223 in their second innings with India chasing down 133 with ease in their final innings.
Anything more than 150-200 in the fourth innings in subcontinental conditions would be a tough score to chase, which is what adds to the pressure when a side bats second. That is why this match makes it to our list.
Honourable mention: 487 v England, Delhi, 1981, after conceding 476 in a drawn match
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