1986: The Second Win
This was a more thumping Test series win of sorts as Kapil Dev guided the Indian team to a 2-0 win in the three-match series.
India had to spend 15 more years to conquer England in their own backyard after the maiden victory in 1971. India’s first World Cup-winning skipper in 1983, Kapil Dev, brought India the second Test series in 1986.
The first Test match was played at Lord’s and was owned by captain Kapil Dev and batsman Dilip Vengsarkar. Though Graham Gooch made 114, Chetan Sharma’s 5/64 kept England to 264 in 1st innings. India replied with 341 with Dilip Vengsarkar making 126* and Mohinder Amarnath making 69 runs.
In the second do, England capitulated for 180 with Kapil Dev taking 4 wickets and left-arm spinner Maninder Singh taking 3/9. Kapil then slammed 23* in 10 balls as India chased down the 134-run target with 5 wickets to spare. It took India 54 years to record their first-ever Test victory at Lord’s.
In the second Test at Headingley, Thanks to Dilip Vengsarkar’s 61, India put on 272 runs on board in the first innings. In reply, Roger Binny’s sublime 5/40 bundled out England for 102. Vengsarkar then stood out in India’s second innings score of 237 with a majestic 102* and helped his team post a target of 407. Four wickets from Maninder Singh and two each from Kapil Dev and Roger Binny meant England could manage 128 in reply.
India won the second match at Headingley by 279 runs and went 2-0 up in the series.
Dilip Vengsarkar starred with the bat, along with Mohinder Amarnath, Mohammad Azharuddin and Sunil Gavaskar for company. With the ball, Chetan Sharma, Maninder Singh, Captain Kapil Dev and Roger Binny shined.
