India No Stranger To The Chase: A Golden Decade Of Fourth-Innings Feats (1976–1986)

It may not be much consolation to Indian cricket fans seething after England’s amazing run chase in the first Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Headingley, Leeds on Tuesday. But during a golden period stretching from 1976 to 1986 Indian team pulled off a number of remarkable fourth innings feats, three of which were world records at the time. It happened first in the third Test at Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad in April 1976, where five years earlier India had recorded their maiden victory against the West Indies that sealed the series too.

In 1976, India had been beaten by an innings in the first Test at Bridgetown, Barbados, and the second Test at Port of Spain was drawn. The third Test was slated for Georgetown, Guyana, but had to be shifted back to Trinidad due to torrential rain in the Guyanese capital. After gaining a substantial lead of 131 runs, West Indies captain Clive Lloyd declared the second innings at 271 for 6, confident that the target of 403 was well beyond the capabilities of the Indian batsmen.

However, India stunned the cricket world by romping home by six wickets, scoring 406 for four, eclipsing the only previous winning total of 400-plus, that too by Don Bradman’s ‘Invincibles’ at Headingley in 1948 when they scored 404 for three to win by seven wickets. Then, in the fifth and final Test in Australia at the Adelaide Oval in early 1978, with the series locked 2-2, India were set the formidable target of 493 to win the Test and the series. They reached 445 to lose by 47 runs. It was at the time the highest total in a losing cause, since twice overtaken, as is the case with the winning total. In the fourth and final Test at the Oval in 1979, captain Mike Brearley declared England’s second innings at 334 for 8, setting India the huge target of 438.

With opener Sunil Gavaskar scoring a masterly 221, India came tantalizingly close, finishing at 429 for eight. At the time, it was the second highest (now fourth) total in a drawn Test, behind only England’s 654 for four in the infamous ‘Timeless Test’ at Durban, South Africa in 1939, which stretched from March 3 to 14, there being no play on three days. With the victory target of 696 runs within easy reach, the match had to be abandoned as a draw with England due to catch their ship back home. It still remains the world record.

The icing on the cake came at Chepauk, Chennai, in the first Test against Australia in September 1986. Captain Allan Border declared the second innings at the overnight total of 170 for 5, setting India 348 to win on the final day. Amidst mounting tension, India’s last wicket fell at 347 with the scores tied. It remains only the second tie in 148 years of Test cricket following the first at Brisbane between Australia and the West Indies in December 1960.

Back then, Australia scored 232 in the fourth innings to leave the team totals in the Test exactly the same. The only player to feature in all four Tests for India was Gavaskar. In 1976, he scored a century, in 1979 a double century, and in 1986 he scored 90, all in the fourth innings runs chases. In 1978, at Adelaide, he had scores of 7 and 29. Tailpiece: In March 2001, the day before the third and final Test against Australia at Chennai, a one-day exhibition game was staged between the original participants of the famous 1986 tie to mark its 15th anniversary.

At the press conference, Border was asked why he had declared overnight in 1986. His reply—“because India did not have a history of chasing in the fourth innings”—caused Gavaskar to guffaw and say: “Allan, you know nothing about the history of Indian cricket.” Touche!

Gulu Ezekiel is an independent sports journalist and author based in New Delhi

Published on: Thursday, June 26, 2025, 11:48 AM IST