5 Indian batters who narrowly missed out on a Test hundred in England

Team India are all set to take on England in the rescheduled Test, which will begin at Edgbaston in Birmingham on July 1. India have faced the Englishmen in 66 Tests in England, winning only nine and losing 35. Twenty-two of the matches have ended in a draw. Two of India’s nine wins came during their previous tour last year. They were 2-1 up when the last Test was canceled due to COVID-19.

If we look at India’s batting performances in England, Sachin Tendulkar leads the list with 1575 runs from 17 Tests at an average of 54.31 with four hundreds. The 'Master Blaster' is followed by another legend, Rahul Dravid, who scored 1376 runs in 13 Tests at an average of 68.80 with six hundreds.

Scoring a Test hundred in England is considered quite a significant achievement for an overseas batter because the conditions are challenging, with the ball moving around.

In this piece, we look at five prominent Indian batters who fell just short of scoring a Test ton in England.

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#5 Vijay Hazare (89 at Headingley - 1952)

Former India captain Vijay Hazare.

Vijay Hazare played seven Tests in England, scoring 456 runs at an impressive average of 41.45. He scored three fifties, with his highest of 89 being registered at Headingley in Leeds in June 1952.

The knock came in India’s first innings as skipper Hazare decided to bat first after winning the toss. Coming in at No. 4 after India lost two early wickets, he occupied the crease for 260 minutes and played a fine knock. Hazare and Vijay Manjrekar (133) added 222 runs for the fourth wicket.

Hazare was looking good for his maiden Test hundred in England. However, on 89, he was caught behind off Alec Bedser. India’s lower order crumbled after his wicket and the visitors were bowled out for 293. Hazare contributed 56 in India’s second innings as well, but the visitors were rolled over for 165. England went on to win the contest by seven wickets.

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#4 Ajit Wadekar (91 at Headingley - 1967)

Former India captain Ajit Wadekar.

Ajit Wadekar, who was the captain during India’s historic Test series win in England in 1971, also failed to reach three figures in Test matches in England. He played nine matches in the country, scoring 528 runs at an average of 29.33, including four half-centuries.

Wadekar’s best of 91 came in the Leeds Test in June 1967. India were made to follow on after being bundled out for 164 in response to England’s first-innings total of 550 for four declared. The visitors batted brilliantly in the second innings, posting 510 in 209.2 overs.

Batting at No. 3, Wadekar contributed 91 off 208 balls. He occupied the crease for 224 minutes and hit 16 fours. Just as he looked set for three figures, he fell to the bowling of Ray Illingworth, caught by Brian Close.

Skipper Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi also contributed 148. Despite their fightback, India went on to lose the Test by six wickets.

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#3 Sanjay Manjrekar (93 at Old Trafford - 1990)

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar. Pic: Getty Images

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar had a decent record in England. He played five Tests and scored 321 runs at an average of 35.66, crossing the 50-run mark thrice. However, he failed to convert any of them into centuries.

He came close to reaching three figures during the 1990 tour. In the second Test of the series at Old Trafford in Manchester, India responded with 432 to the hosts’ first-innings total of 519. While Mohammed Azharuddin top-scored with 179, Manjrekar was the second-best scorer with 93.

Coming in at No.3, he faced 196 balls and batted for 229 minutes, during which he also struck 12 fours. His excellent innings ended seven short of a hundred as he was caught by Robin Smith off Eddie Hemmings’ bowling.

Manjrekar contributed 50 in the second innings as well, while Tendulkar notched up his maiden Test hundred as the match ended in a draw.

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#2 Dinesh Karthik (91 at The Oval - 2007)

Dinesh Karthik batting during The Oval Test in 2007. Pic: Getty Images

Dinesh Karthik recently made a comeback to international cricket during the T20I series against South Africa at home. However, it can be safely assumed that his Test career is over. The keeper-batter was one of the surprise success stories during the 2007 England tour, scoring three half-centuries while opening the innings.

Overall, he has played five Tests in the country, scoring 284 runs at an average of 28.40. His best of 91 came in The Oval Test in August 2007. India batted first after winning the toss, and Karthik led the way with 91 off 151 balls. He batted for over 200 minutes, hitting 10 fours and a six.

Karthik was looking well set for a hundred. However, nine short of the landmark, he nicked Ryan Sidebottom and had to walk back dejected. He did a great job for the team though. India drew the Test and won the three-match series 1-0. This was their last Test series win in England.

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#1 MS Dhoni (92 at The Oval - 2007)

MS Dhoni in action during the 2007 Oval Test. Pic: Getty Images

In the same innings that Karthik contributed 91, MS Dhoni also missed out on a well-deserved hundred. MSD played 12 Tests in England, scoring 778 runs at an average of 37.04 with eight fifties. Considering his shortcomings against the moving ball due to his unconventional technique, this was quite a decent record.

Speaking of the 2007 Oval Test, he smashed 92 in only 81 deliveries. Coming into bat at No. 7, with India in a commanding position, Dhoni enjoyed himself, clubbing nine fours and four sixes in his entertaining 120-minute stay.

Just as he was looking good for a hundred, he perished to part-time spinner Kevin Pietersen, giving a catch to deep square leg.

While Karthik and Dhoni missed out on three figures, Anil Kumble went on to score a remarkable hundred, remaining unbeaten on 110 in India’s first innings total of 664.

England were set an improbable target of 500 for victory in the fourth innings. Pietersen’s 101 ensured the hosts drew the Test even though they could not save the series.

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