That an Indian batsman is yet to score a one-day hundred against England in England?
(02 July 2002)
From 1974 till date, India and England have locked horns in 15
one-dayers. But despite some of these being high-scoring
contests, not a single Indian batsman can yet boast of a one-day
hundred against England in England.
True, there have been five Indian hundreds against England in the
shorter version of the game, but these have come at Poona,
Cuttack, Kanpur, Jaipur and Gwalior respectively. In sharp
contrast, England batsmen have scored six of their hundreds on
Indian soil and only three back on their home soil.
This surprising lack of Indian hundreds would not have been
predicted by anyone who followed India's first encounter in England at the famed Headingley ground in Leeds. India might have
eventually lost that match, but the batting of Indian skipper
Ajit Wadekar (67) and Brijesh Patel, who made an attacking 82 off
78 balls with eight boundaries, seemed to be a augury of more
dazzling exploits to come.
That 82, however, remained the highest score by an Indian against
England in England for the best part of 12 years - until the
advent of the glorious summer of 1986 to be exact. The famous
Indian tour that year was to witness Kapil Dev's men defeat an
England team, bearing the scars of a Blackwash in the preceding
tour of the West Indies, in both the Test and one-dayers.
With the team was Mohammad Azharuddin, who had made the most
magnificent of international arrivals against the Englishmen in
the previous series between the two sides, which was played in
India. And the stylish Hyderabadi continued to impress in his
first international innings in England.
Walking out to bat after India had lost their first wicket
without a run on the board whilst chasing 163 to win, Azharuddin
in the company of the great Sunil Gavaskar ensured that India
sealed a memorable one-day series win. The future Indian captain's 83 not out off 154 balls, in
the course of an unbeaten second wicket partnership, continues to remain the highest score by an Indian despite 16 years having gone by since.
For more details on all the above facts check out [ StatsGuru ]
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