As India returns to Old Trafford for the 4th Test of the 2025 series, chasing a maiden win at this venue, the ghosts of 1946 won’t haunt - they’ll inspire
Some cricket stories live beyond what the scorecard shows - tales of courage, pride, and turning the tide against all odds. One such story unfolded at Old Trafford in 1946. It stands unmatched in India’s Test history in England - the only time two Indian bowlers shared five-wicket hauls in the same innings in England.
But this wasn’t just about taking wickets. It was about staking a claim. Post-war England. India was still under British rule. Yet, at Manchester, Lala Amarnath and Vinoo Mankad stood tall, like twin symbols of resistance.
The year was 1946. India, led by Nawab Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, was making its first Test tour of England after WWII. The Manchester Test was only the second match of the series. England won the toss and chose to bat first, setting the stage for a tense contest - not just between bat and ball, but between the echoes of colonial dominance and India’s growing fight for pride.
England’s top order looked commanding, with Leonard Hutton scoring 67 and Wally Hammond 69, as they accumulated a total of 294 runs. Yet, India refused to back down. Mankad and Amarnath fought back, picking off wickets one by one, igniting hope and the promise of an epic battle.
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Mankad kept bowling tirelessly for long stretches, sending down 46 overs while giving away 101 runs and snagging five crucial wickets.
But it wasn’t just about the wickets. Mankad bowled with impressive economy, only 2.19 runs per over, constantly applying pressure and ensuring the English middle order couldn’t break free and take control of the game.
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Then came Amarnath - brave and steadfast, with a quiet strength. He delivered an astonishing 51 overs, taking 5 wickets for 96 runs, dismantling England’s middle order. His economy? A humble 1.88 runs per over.
Together, Amarnath and Mankad limited England to 294 runs, despite being 250/5 at one point. For history’s sake, no Indian bowling duo has matched this feat in a single innings in England before or since.
India’s batting effort was quite inconsistent. Merchant played a solid innings of 78, yet the team fell short, ending their innings at 170. England responded confidently with a strong second innings, declaring at 153/5.
Chasing a challenging target of 278 on a battered pitch, India struggled and fell to 152/9. However, thanks to rain, lost time, and unwavering lower-order resistance, they fought on and managed to secure a tense, gritty draw.
Bedser nearly single-handedly dismantled the visitors’ batting with impressive figures of 7/52 in the second innings. Still, by then, the real victory belonged to Mankad and Amarnath, both of whom had already secured their moral win.
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In today’s fast-paced, data-driven world, it’s almost unimaginable for two bowlers to bowl 97 overs combined and both take a fifer. That’s classic Test cricket - challenging work, precise lines, and unwavering determination.
This Manchester Test changed how we see Indian cricket. No longer just underdogs on seaming pitches, they responded with resilience and skill. The rare Amarnath-Mankad double-fifer remains unmatched, saying a lot about their strength.
