From Rahul’s heartbreak in Chennai to Shastri’s marathon in London — here’s a trip down memory lane where milestones were missed, but memories were made
Test cricket is a game of patience, precision, and poise. However, sometimes even the most valiant efforts fall short — just a whisker away from something iconic.
With India all set to tour England from June 20, led by a fresh face in Shubman Gill, it’s an opportune moment to rewind and reflect on some nearly-there moments in India vs England Test history — those nerve-tugging innings where Indian batters fell short of double centuries yet etched their names in the annals of cricket folklore.
Picture this — a sold-out Chepauk crowd, the ball turning, and KL Rahul at the crease, executing strokes with the elegance of a painter. Rahul was batting on 199, just one short of his maiden double ton. Then came the heartbreak — a mistimed shot off Adil Rashid resulted in a catch deep in the field. Gone. Just like that.
Credit: TOI
However, India had already built a mountain. Karun Nair amassed 303*, and the team declared at a mammoth 759/7. Despite Moeen Ali’s gritty 146 in the first innings, England was bowled out twice, and India won by an innings and 75 runs.
You’d expect Sachin Tendulkar to have a double century in England, wouldn’t you? He came close—very close—at Leeds in 2002. Coming in after a solid platform, he unfurled a classy 193 off 330 balls, filled with timing, control, and the odd six.
Credit: ESPN
India declared at 628/8 and then dismantled England for 273 and 309. The innings-and-46-run victory was sweet, but that extra seven runs denied Tendulkar another feather in a glittering cap.
Not many remember Budhi Kunderan today, but in January 1964, he gave Chennai something to cheer about. Batting as an opener in the first innings, Kunderan smashed a stroke-filled 192, including 31 boundaries, missing a double century by just 8 runs.
India declared at 457/7, and the match ended in a draw despite England coming close to pulling off a chase. Kunderan’s innings may be overshadowed in the history books, but it remains one of India’s finest efforts against England on home soil.
Vijay Manjrekar was not flashy; he was rock steady — the type of batter you could depend on when the tide turned rough. He demonstrated that in the first innings of the third Test at Delhi in 1961. On a surface where timing was tricky and the bowling relentless, Manjrekar dug in deep and produced a meticulous unbeaten 189.
Credit: ESPN
He appeared set for a maiden double century. But as partners came and went, the burden grew heavier. India were bowled out for 466, with Manjrekar stranded at the other end — so close, yet once again denied. The match ended in a draw, but Manjrekar’s knock stood out as a masterclass in restraint and resolve.
Long before he was calling the shots from the dressing room, Ravi Shastri was wearing down bowlers on the pitch. In the third Test at The Oval, he batted for over 560 minutes in the first innings— yes, you read that right — to score 187 runs.
Credit: MyKhel
India declared at 606/9, and while the match ended in a draw, Shastri’s innings showcased his ability to bat deep. The double century was in sight, but it was not to be.
