India and England will compete in a major five-game Test series. It all starts with the initial match on Thursday, January 25 in Hyderabad. Besides discussion about the field, attention will also shift to several standout players in each team.
While bowlers must take 20 wickets to win the game, hitters must also score enough runs to offer their team the greatest chance of victory. Conditions in both India and England present unique obstacles for hitters to overcome.
Some famous Indian hitters have not only adapted effectively to these circumstances, but have also remained consistent in their run-scoring versus England. Let’s look at five top Indian hitters who seemed to like playing against this particular opposition:
5. Gundappa Viswanath – 1880 runs
When a renowned batter like Sunil Gavaskar couldn’t stop praising Gundappa Viswanath, you knew he was a superb player even if you hadn’t seen him play. Viswanath, a brave batter, was noted for his superb wristwork and ability to dig deep and score huge runs.
Viswanath scored 1880 runs in 30 Tests against England at an average of 37.42, with four hundreds and a best score of 222. He also scored 12 half-centuries against the specific opponents.
4. Rahul Dravid – 1950 runs
Rahul Dravid, presently at the helm of the Indian team, has a unique knack for building up scores against England. His cricket journey, starting impressively with an outstanding 95 at England’s Lord’s ground in 1996, underlines his love for playing in such settings. His performance back then was merely a glimpse of what was to come.
Dravid’s superb technique allowed him to handle with the swing and seam movement in England while still scoring a lot of runs. He averaged a stunning 60.93 in 21 Tests against England, scoring seven hundreds.
Dravid’s best score against England (217) at the Oval in 2002 enabled India escape loss and finish the series in an impressive draw. He also scored a Lord’s hundred during his final tour of England in 2011.
3. Virat Kohli – 1991 runs
England as an opponent will always be memorable to Virat Kohli because he fashioned out a fantastic redemption story. Following a disastrous 2014 trip in which he struggled to purchase a run, an inspired Kohli scored a stunning 593 runs, including two centuries, in the 2018 Test series in England.
In 2016, India, under Kohli’s leadership, swept England 4-0. His top score of 235 against them came in Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. He shined against South Africa. Sadly, he’ll skip the beginning of the next series, a true loss for the host team.
2. Sunil Gavaskar – 2483 runs
Many agree that Sunil Gavaskar is likely India’s best Test opener. Renowned for his sturdy approach at the beginning of batting, he showed a fondness for playing in England too. Gavaskar scored 2483 runs facing the English team in 38 Test matches.
Gavaskar struck four centuries and 16 half-centuries against England in Tests. He hit a remarkable 221 at The Oval in 1979, when India almost miraculously chased down a 438-run target. They fell nine runs short, and the game finished in a tie.
1. Sachin Tendulkar – 2535 runs
Sachin Tendulkar, noteworthy in cricket, scored a colossal 2535 runs against England in Test matches. His skills, lauded globally, outshone others, making him arguably the foremost batter. This outstanding player scored against all rivals, and England proved no exception.
Tendulkar averaged 51.73 in 32 Tests against England, including seven hundreds and 13 half-centuries. His century in Chennai to enable India chase a massive 387 in the fourth innings is undoubtedly his most memorable performance against England. He dedicated the work to the innocent souls killed during the 26/11 terror assault in Mumbai that year.