1971 - Celebrating India’s golden jubilee which originally changed their cricket

The year 1971 is sometimes considered a turning point in the history of India. The war with Pakistan saw India not just defeat the enemy but also give birth to a new country called Bangladesh. The year 1971 was also important when it came to cricket. When one asks what was the most important year for Indian cricket, many would say the 1983 World Cup triumph by Kapil Dev. But, a lot of people might not realize it. But, the year 1971 was actually the year that changed Indian cricket forever.

It was in the year 1971 that Indian cricket established itself in the world. 39 years ever since they had started playing Test cricket, the success quotient of the Indian team was negligible. They had won a Test series for the first time in 1952 when they defeated England. That was their first series win. Although they had broken the jinx at home, their overseas success was still distant. In 1968, India did win a series in New Zealand but in 1971, India finally managed to break their overseas jinx in grand style.

India stage a renaissance in cricket

The year 1971 saw India winning a series in the West Indies for the first time in their history. Sunil Gavaskar stole the show in his debut series by hammering 774 runs in the five-match series. The 1-0 win in the Caribbean was the start of a special period for India. After the win in the West Indies, they had a tour of England. They had not enjoyed success on previous tours to England and they were determined to break the jinx.

The Lord’s and Manchester Test was drawn. Heading into the final Test at The Oval, the series was all one the line. England batted first and they notched up 355, with John Jameson scoring 82 and Alan Knott notching up 90. Eknath Solkar took 3/28 but England had a good total on the board. Dilip Sardesai and Farokh Engineer hit fifties but Ray Illingworth took five wickets to give England a 71-run lead.

But, in the second innings, Bhagwath Chandrasekhar spun his web. Impacted by polio in his bowling arm, Chandra used it to his advantage to get some extra rip on his deliveries. Chandrasekhar took 6/38 and England was bowled out for 101. Ajit Wadekar and Sardesai hit 45 and 40 to guide India over the line in grand style. They won by four wickets and won a series in England for the first time.

The 1971 series changes Indian cricket

The 1971 series win against West Indies and England changed Indian cricket forever. But, the win in England, on August 24, 1971, was etched in the memory of every cricket fan. It has been 50 years since the day India conquered England for the first time in its history. It was a brilliant moment and one that inspired an entire generation of players.

Ravi Shastri, the coach of the Indian cricket team, highlighted in an interview to ANI recently how the 1971 win changed his entire perception. “I was nine years old and I remember every ball bowled in that Test match because I was listening to the radio. I remember Farokh Engineer getting runs in both innings. Vishy getting some runs, Ajit Wadekar getting some runs in the match. The 1971 series win in England lifted spirits of Indian cricket in a huge manner. It gave them the belief that they can go overseas and win. And to do it in England is always historic. 50 years have gone by, and those players really set the tone. Hats off to all of them,” Shastri said.

50^th year of India’s conquest for Olympics

Sunil Gavaskar, the star in the wins in West Indies and England, had explained the key factors behind the win. “India was brought back into the game by Chandra’s bowling and Wadekar’s shrewd captaincy”, Gavaskar said. The former batsman revealed that the previous tour of the West Indies had been beneficial for the team. The win in the Windies had helped India to hold “our nerve on the final day to triumph at the Oval.”

The 1971 win ensured that India was no longer considered the patricians of world cricket. They were now a force to be reckoned with and not a laughing matter. It gave them the confidence to perform consistently in many countries. Perhaps, in a big way, the 1971 success laid the foundation for the 1983 World Cup.

The 50^th year of India’s conquest of England still holds a lot of relevance even in 2021. Virat Kohli’s Indian cricket team currently is leading 1-0 in the five-match series heading into the third Test in Leeds. If India wins in Leeds, then they will have come one step closer to ending their 14-year jinx in England.