In the summer of 1990, at a sunlit Lord’s, Graham Gooch played a record-breaking Test innings that rewrote England’s history and ripped India’s bowling apart
It's easy to forget how dominant Graham Gooch was at the height of his powers. In the summer of 1990, with India touring for a three-Test series, Gooch didn't just lead England — he carried them on his shoulders, amassing runs with such control and purpose that even the most loyal Indian fans couldn't help but respect the magnitude of his achievement.
On 26 July 1990, under clear skies and on a true Lord's pitch, Gooch recorded the highest individual score ever at the ground: 333 runs in the first innings, followed by a second-innings century. This wasn't just a triple hundred but a declaration of dominance.
India, led by Mohammad Azharuddin, chose to bowl first. The pitch was flat, and the sun was shining — but the Indian captain backed his seamers to find something early. For a brief hour, things went according to plan. England were 61 for 1, and Gooch was dropped on 36 by wicketkeeper Kiran More. That drop was more than a missed chance — it was a missed opportunity to alter history.
Credit: The Gurdian
By stumps on Day One, England were 359 for 2. Gooch was unbeaten on 194. What followed the next day was systematic punishment. He reached 300 before lunch on Day Two and was finally dismissed for 333, having batted for 627 minutes, faced 485 balls, and struck 43 fours and 3 sixes. His innings propelled England to a massive 653 for 4 declared — a score India never managed to recover from.
To their credit, India didn't collapse under the pressure. Ravi Shastri played a measured 100, Azharuddin entertained the crowd with a sparkling 121-ball 100, and Kapil Dev — in a jaw-dropping display — struck four consecutive sixes to save the follow-on.
India posted 454 in their first innings, and the deficit of 199 looked survivable. But Gooch wasn't finished.
Credit: Wisden
With time available, England came out strongly in the second innings. Gooch attacked the bowling straight away, scoring 123 off just 113 balls — an innings that completely changed the tempo.
He hit four sixes and 13 fours, and when he was dismissed with the score at 204, England declared at 272, setting India a challenging fourth-innings target of 472.
India required patience and partnerships on the final day. Instead, they lost both openers by stumps on Day Four and were swiftly dismantled by seam and spin on Day Five.
They were bowled out for 224, losing the match by 247 runs. Gooch scored the most runs in a Test at that time (456 in the match) and guided England to a series victory.
Credit: BBC
Gooch’s 333 remains the highest Test score ever made at Lord’s and the third-highest by an Englishman, behind only Len Hutton’s 364 and Wally Hammond’s 336*. Notably, Gooch is also the first player to score a triple century in the India-England Tests.
Later, Karun Nair joined this elite club with his own 300 in the IND-ENG Test history. More than the numbers, the sheer control of his innings — the way he wore down India’s attack and kept the tempo in his grip — has made this innings age so well.
