India has registered several historic victories against England in sports outside cricket
Every time India competes against England, whether in sports or any other form of competition, emotions run high, given that England was India’s coloniser, a fact that cannot be forgotten, regardless of the diplomatic ties and changes in the world order. Speaking about sports, the rivalry between India and England on the cricket field is incredibly famous, given that both sides are cricket crazy now, and fortunately, India has defeated England in various matches that have been praised and celebrated by the citizens.
However, many may not be aware that India has dominated England in other sports, including those not related to cricket. As we celebrate the country’s 79th Independence Day this August, we have listed four matches where India slammed England outside cricket.
(Credit - Olympics)
In the 1972 Olympic Games, India and England were in the same group alongside the Netherlands, Australia, Poland, Kenya, and New Zealand. India began the group stage with a draw against the Netherlands. However, the team turned the heat up against England, scoring five goals to win the game with a scoreline of 5-0. To date, this is India’s biggest win against England in hockey. India topped the group and won the bronze medal against the Netherlands. Recently, in 2024, India defeated England in a tense penalty shootout.
(Credit- India TV News)
Hosted by England, India’s men's and women's teams won their respective Kabaddi World Cup 2025. Both teams played their final matches against England and secured a victory. The score of the men’s teams was India 44-41 England, whereas the women’s team won by a greater margin, scoring 57 against England’s 34. Unlike cricket, hardly anybody is aware of India’s two World Cup victories because kabaddi isn’t given enough importance.
(Credit- AICF)
In the 2016 Chess Olympiad, three of India’s four matches against England ended in a draw. Harikrishna had to sign the peace treaty with Michael Adams, while Adhiban and Vidit Gujarathi also had to sign their respective peace treaties with David Howell and Gawain Jones. Fortunately, SP Sethuraman, the grandmaster from Chennai, defeated former World Championship challenger Nigel Short. India did not win any medals but finished in fourth place. However, a win against England is always worth celebrating.
England, being a more prominent football-playing nation in Europe, has never played an international match against India. However, a match played between an Indian club and a British club will forever remain etched in the history of Indian sports and the freedom movement.
(Credit- Hindustan Times)
In 1911, one of India’s oldest clubs, Mohun Bagan, defeated the East Yorkshire Regiment by 2-1, which stirred the British Empire. Nobody had thought the barefoot Indians would win against their colonisers, but angered by Bengal’s partition in 1905, the Bengali football players saw the game as a war and won it to inflict pain on the British regime. Back then, football had also become a tool in India’s freedom struggle.
