5 thrilling draws involving India affected by rain/bad light 

Without a doubt, Team India is one of the most followed teams around the world. Hence, every game they play will be closely followed. Even Test cricket is followed intensely.

And there are some Tests that India have played have gone right to the wire and ensured nail-biting and tight finishes. In a few such Tests like the recent one in Kolkata (where India had Sri Lanka 7 down before bad light forced a draw), elements such as rain and bad light has played a big part. Thus, here we look at 5 such games which endured a nail-biting draw.

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#5 Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Hyderabad – 1969

With a series between India and New Zealand level at 1-1, the third Test was expected to be a closely contested one. After opting to bat first, New Zealand crawled their way to 181/9 at the end of the first day’s play after being 106/0.

The second’s day’s play was washed out due to rain, and a rest day followed. Thus, when the players returned to take the field for the third day’s play, lots of drama unfolded as the pitch became lively with a decent amount of grass on it.

Umpires wanted the grassy cover to be chopped but an objection from the Kiwi skipper Graham Dowling ensured nothing happened. After being bowled out for 181, the Kiwi bowlers wreaked havoc on a lively pitch as India folded up for 89.

In the second essay, the visitors scored 175 and declared setting India a target of 268 with five and a half hours left.

The Kiwi bowlers once again stamped their authority as India slipped to 66/7 and with more than two hours of play remaining, a loss was on the cards.

However, when the hosts reached 76/7 the heavens opened up and the rain lasted for about 30 minutes which was followed by hot sunshine. But a slow mopping up process ensured no further play was possible and it helped India escape with a draw.

#4 Lord’s, London – 1971

Some action from India's first Test series win in England.

After a famous Test series win in West Indies, the Indian team led by Ajit Wadekar embarked England for a 3-Test series. Before the first Test began at the iconic Lord’s, India played as many as 8 practice (tour) matches – winning 5 and losing 1.

England batted first on a pitch which looked relatively hard and dry. However, the spin troika of Chandrasekhar, Bedi and Venkataraghavan relished the conditions as they picked up 9 wickets to restrict England to 304 and that too on the back of a late lower-order surge where John Snow scored a brilliant 73.

Those were the days where there existed a ‘Rest Day’ after the third day. Thus, going into the rest day India had managed to sneak a slender lead of 9 as they were bowled out for 313 (with Wadekar, Vishwanath and Solkar scoring fifties).

In the second innings, the spin troika bamboozled England again as they were bowled out for 191 setting India a tricky target of 183. Thus, India had a little more than 4 hours to overhaul the target and go 1-0 up in the series.

India began badly as they were reduced to 21/2, but a Gavaskar (53) and Farokh Engineer (35) steadied the ship, but the latter’s dismissal brought about a collapse as the visitors slipped to 145/8 at tea on the final day.

With 35 runs required, 2 wickets in hand and Solkar and Bedi at the crease, the game headed towards a thrilling finish. However, the rain had a final say as the final session was washed out and the game ended in a draw.

#4 Eden Gardens, Kolkata – 1978/79

Sunil Gavaskar was brilliant against the Windies as he scored 107 and 182 in that match.

From the time India started playing West Indies, the latter generally dominated and it was only in 1971 that India could win their first Test against the side from the Caribbean. They managed to win three more over the course of the next couple of series.

In 1978/79, when the Windies toured India, the latter had the opportunity to win their first series against the former at home. After a couple of draws, the third Test was played at the Eden Gardens.

India batted first and on the back of a fine century from Sunil Gavaskar (107), and a late surge from Kapil Dev (67) posted 300. West Indies in reply were cruising at 209/3, but a solid show from Kapil Dev (2/88) and Venkataraghavan (4/55) helped the hosts restrict the Windies to 327.

India’s second innings was a dominating one as Gavaskar (182) and Vengsarkar (157) struck brilliant hundreds as they set the visitors a target of 335.

India did well with the ball again as the Kallicharan-led team slipped to 197/9 and a defeat looked certain. But the fading light came to the visitors’ aid and Shivnarine became the hero for scoring a dogged 36, helping West Indies earn an unlikely draw.

#2 Lord’s, London – 2007

A match-saving 76 from MS Dhoni helped India prevent a defeat in the first Test.

When India toured England in 2007, it had been 21 years since their last Test series win in England. They had come close in 2002 where they drew the series 1-1.

The first Test was played at Lord’s. A venue where India never enjoyed a great run. From 14 Tests, India had only 1 win and 10 losses at that time.

England batted first after winning the toss and scored 298 even after being a commanding position at 218/1.

However, the bowlers made up for the batsmen’s disappointing outing as Anderson’s brilliant 5-fer helped the hosts bundle out India for 201.

Zaheer Khan and RP Singh ripped through England’s batting line-up as they picked up 4/79 and 5/59 respectively. But a fine 134 from Pietersen ensured England were in safe waters as they set India a target of 380.

At the end of the fourth day, India were 137/3 and with rain expected on the final day, India needed to bat smartly. However, that was not the case as India lost a flurry of wickets and slipped to 263/9.

Only MS Dhoni showed some fight and batted beautifully with the tail. At 263/9, Dhoni started taking most of the strike and took India to 282/9 when the heavens opened up. He finished with an unbeaten 76 to rescue India and escape with a draw.

#1 M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore – 2007

The Test series win against Pakistan was India's first series win over them since 1980.

When India and Pakistan played a complete bilateral series (ODIs and Tests) in 2007, it turned out to be their last bilateral series - at least so far. But it was not short of any action or drama.

India were 1-0 in the series. They won the toss in the third Test and batted first, only to find themselves in trouble at 61/4. But a brilliant 300-run partnership between Ganguly (239) and Yuvraj (169) ensured India were in a dominant position. Irfan Pathan’s 102 down the order piled on the misery for Pakistan as India ended with 626 runs.

Pakistan gave a solid reply in their first innings as they scored 537, with Misbah getting a fine 133 and Younis (80), Butt (68) and Kamran Akmal (65) contributing with important fifties.

In the second innings, by the time India declared at 284/6, only 47 overs were left on the final day to force a result. With a target of 374, it was clear Pakistan batsmen would’ve played safe.

With the game heading towards a dull draw, skipper Anil Kumble injected life into the game with a timely fifer as he took 5/60 to put Pakistan under pressure. Pakistan were reduced to 154/7 when Yuvraj Singh struck twice in two overs.

The game suddenly was alive and India had a chance to win the series 2-0. But bad light forced early stumps as 11 overs remained and it ensured Pakistan escaped with a draw.