As India gears up for the 5th Test of the 2025 series, here's a look back at those who turned The Oval into their stage
London's iconic Oval ground has long been a stage where cricketing stories unfold, often swinging between heartbreak and heroism. For India, the venue has not always been kind—but when the batters have arrived, they've left behind innings that age like vintage wine.
With the 5th Test of the 2025 series at The Oval approaching, it's an ideal moment to reflect on the five Indian batters who not only endured English conditions but also excelled in them.
Innings crafted here were not just about runs. They were statements—etched with defiance, grit, and a sense of occasion. Let's walk down memory lane, one blade of grass at a time.
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Rahul Dravid (443 runs in 5 innings | Avg: 110.75)
Dravid's encounters at The Oval became legendary. Over three matches from 2002 to 2011, he made English bowling seem like a faint murmur, scoring 443 runs in just 5 innings, including 2 centuries.
In 2011, as wickets fell around him in the first innings, Dravid opened the batting and remained unbeaten on 146 off 266 balls, featuring 20 boundaries.
Earlier, in 2002, he scored a classical 217 off 468 balls. His patience, textbook precision, and mental discipline meant he averaged an astonishing 110.75 at this ground—unmatched by any other Indian batter.
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Four matches, six innings, and an unwavering presence at the crease—Sachin Tendulkar always brought calm to The Oval. While a century eluded him here, he reached the fifty mark three times.
His highest score was 91—a fluent innings in 2011's fourth Test. Across his visits from 1990 to 2011, Tendulkar scored 272 runs, absorbing pressure and keeping the scoreboard ticking with a strike rate of 51.51.
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Before the commentary box and his coaching role, Ravi Shastri had a swagger with the bat—and nowhere was that more evident than at The Oval. In the 1990 Test, India batted first, and he blazed his way to 187 off 436 balls, anchoring the innings with a blend of grit and flair.
He batted three times at The Oval across two Tests and accumulated 253 runs with an average of 84.33, including one century and one fifty. Although his innings took place in a drawn match, it was a personal triumph—a clear mark on English soil.
Credit: Indian Express
Rahul arrived in England in 2018 amid murmurs from critics about his consistency. He walked out at The Oval in the second innings of the fifth Test and responded with a brilliant 224-ball 149.
He accumulated 249 runs across two matches at the venue, never once getting dismissed for a duck and hitting 33 boundaries and 2 sixes in the process. His strike rate of 59.00, combined with an average of 62.25, proved that flair and responsibility can go hand in hand.
Back in an era when helmets weren't mandatory and England's bowling was more aggressive under grey skies, Gundappa Viswanath brought elegance and composure to the game. Vishy played three Tests at The Oval between 1971 and 1982, scoring 241 runs across six innings.
In 1971, his 33-run knock helped secure India's first-ever victory on English soil—a historic moment in Indian cricket. His best performance, however, came in 1982, when he remained unbeaten on 75, rescuing a problematic situation in the second innings.
