Is the Oval Test a disaster waiting to happen for Team India?

#4 India's most memorable match at the Oval till date

Sunil Gavaskar - The Legend

It was the third Test of the 1979 series. England were leading the series 1-0. In this Test match, Sunil Gavaskar played an unforgettable inning in one of the greatest run chases in Test matches.

England had set India a target of 438 runs. Gavaskar took charge from the beginning with Chetan Chauhan and Dilip Vengsarkar playing supporting roles. His opening stand with Chauhan produced 213 runs. Chauhan made 80 runs. Gavaskar put on 153 runs for the second wicket with Vengsarkar who scored 52. At one stage India were comfortably placed at 366 for 1 when Vengsarkar got out.

It was then that Captain Venkataraghavan made a bizarre decision to promote the young and inexperienced Kapil Dev to No 4. Kapil Dev got out to the third ball he faced going for a big hit and caught on the boundary.

Gavaskar’s magnificent innings came to an end at 221 runs with the Indian score at 389, just 50 runs away from the target. But India collapsed thereafter. When the last two balls of the Test match were to be bowled, India were 8 runs away from the target and England were two wickets away from a win. All the three results were possible at that stage.

The last over was bowled by Peter Willey. When Bharat Reddy failed to score off the 5th ball of the over, the match ended in a draw without completing the over.

5 Other memorable moments for Team India at the Oval

Anil Kumble's surprising century at the Oval

In the 7 Test matches that ended in a draw at the Oval, the Indians have had their moments.

1. Vijay Merchant’s innings of 128 in 1946

2. Kapil Dev’s 97 in 1982

3. Ravi Shastri’s 187 and Kapil Dev’s 110 in 1990

4. Rahul Dravid’s innings of 217 in 2002

5. Anil Kumble’s surprising century in 2007