The Test cricket series featuring the Indian National Cricket Team and the England Cricket Team is one of the most celebrated sporting events globally. Kicking off in 1932 at Lord’s, this rivalry has evolved into a fierce competition that includes Tests, ODIs, and T20s. Dive into the blog below to explore their encounters over nine decades of cricket, showcasing everything from legendary matches to intense series that highlight the clash of two cricketing cultures. This particular match was India’s debut in Test Cricket. Although England came out on top, it marked the beginning of a long and fiercely competitive journey between these two cricketing nations.
Table of Contents
Beginning of the Rivalry (1932–1959)
India’s First Test Match – 1932
India’s first Test match under the captaincy of CK Nayudu was played at Lord’s on 25 June 1932. The team featured stars of the game like Maharaja of Porbandar and Amar Singh. Though the Indians lost by 158 runs, it was a massive day. It was India’s esteemed start to Test cricket. A Test for England, just another, for India, a first.
The Early Tours – England’s Dominance
1933/34: An England side toured India for the first time. Several matches played at Bombay Gymkhana and Eden Gardens attracted large crowds. England won all matches comfortably.
1936: India toured England again and were beaten badly, however Amar Singh and Mohammad Nissar were praised for their fast bowling.
1946: India toured England again after World War II under the captaincy of Nawab of Pataudi Sr. However, they did not do much better.
1952: Jim Laker and Fred Trueman bowled India out for 130 and 82 in the Headingley Test.
1959: Came to a low with a 0-5 drubbing in England on that tour where England won all five matches.
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India Emerges at Home (1960–1970)
First Series Win in India – 1961/62
A shift began in a significant way in 1961/62, when India under the captaincy of Nari Contractor defeated England at home 2-0. This was a tremendous lift in morale for all concerned. Chandu Borde, Salim Durani, and Subrata Guha starred in the series.
Mixed Results Abroad
In the years 1961 and 1962, we saw something happen with Indian cricket, when Nari Contractor led his side to a home Test victory against England, winning the series 2-0. This was a huge lift in morale for everyone. The stars of that series were Chandu Borde, Salim Durani, and Subrata Guha.
1971 – Historic Win in England
Possibly, the most significant moment of this period was this Test victory in 1971. Under Ajit Wadekar, India won their first Test series in England. Key players in this team included: Sunil Gavaskar, the young opener, Dilip Sardesai, and Bhagwat Chandrasekhar (match-winning bowling figures of 6-38 at The Oval). This victory changed the mind set of the world on Indian cricket and they were no longer an easy bash at playing in the away conditions.
ODI Cricket Begins & India Builds Confidence (1974–1990)
Limited-Overs Debuts
The first One Day International (ODI) between these two teams took place in 1974 at Headingley, where England secured a comfortable victory. However, India gradually started to get the hang of the shorter format.
1983 – World Cup Final Upset
While it wasn’t a traditional bilateral series, the 1983 World Cup was a game-changer for India as they stunned England in the semi-final at Old Trafford. Led by Kapil Dev, the team chased down a modest target to reach the final, marking India’s rise as a formidable force in limited-overs cricket.
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Tendulkar’s Arrival
In 1990, during a Test at Old Trafford, a 17-year-old Sachin Tendulkar made headlines by scoring his first Test century, helping save the match for India. This moment symbolized the passing of the torch to a new generation of cricketers. Throughout these years, England maintained an advantage in Test matches, but India was steadily gaining strength, particularly in ODIs.
India’s Assertiveness (1992–2007)
Mohammad Azharuddin’s India turned the tables on England, winning a Test series 3–0 at home—sweet revenge for years of English dominance. Anil Kumble emerged as a standout bowler during this period.
Mid-90s ODI Rivalries
India and England faced off frequently in ODIs, including several World Cups and bilateral series. Some memorable matches included:
The 1993 Hero Cup showdown, where Anil Kumble’s incredible 6/12 left England reeling.
The 2002 NatWest Final at Lord’s, where India chased down a daunting 326, thanks to Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif, who led the team to a famous victory after Ganguly’s iconic shirt-waving celebration.
2007 – Series Win in England
Under the captaincy of Rahul Dravid, India clinched a three-Test series in England 1-0. Zaheer Khan’s swing bowling and Kumble’s reliability were crucial to this success. This marked India’s first Test series win in England in 21 years, showcasing their evolution into a world-class team.
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Modern Era & T20 Impact (2008–2016)
Clashes Between India and England in the T20 World Cup
The rivalry is also fairly new due to the inception of T20 cricket and India beat England in the first T20 World Cup in 2007 with a famous cricketing moment involving Yuvraj Singh hitting Stuart Broad for six balls in four alternate directions – six sixes in an over.
2011 – World Cup Group Stage Finish
The two teams faced each other in the group stage of the 2011 ODI World Cup in Bangalore which finished in a tie at 338.
2013 Champions Trophy Final
India narrowly edged England in the final of the Champions Trophy, winning by five runs at Edgbaston. They doused rain that reduced the overs but were aided by a calm MS Dhoni and superb all-round from Ravindra Jadeja.
2014 & 2016 Test Series
India had a tough time in England in 2014 losing 1–3 but came back strongly at home in
2016–17 winning 4–0. This marks a high point under the captaincy of Virat Kohli and features some strong bowling from Ravichandran Ashwin.
The Current Decade: Intense Battles (2018–2025)
2018-19
India lost the Test series with England 1-4, despite Kohli’s brilliance. Although the final score was not favorable, the matches were very closely contested.
2020-21 Home Comfort
India won the Test series against England at home, 3-1, after losing the first match in Chennai. Axar Patel had an incredible debut.
2021-22 England Series
India was leading 2-1 in the series in England when the fifth Test was cancelled due to COVID-19. When it was played in 2022, England chased down the highest ever total at Edgbaston to leave the series at 2-2.
Recent Series & Milestones (2023–2025)
Prepare yourself for the summary of the 2023-24 England Tour of India! India was dominant in the five-Test series with home advantage, winning 4-1, with Yashasvi Jaiswal scoring a magnificent 712 runs and R Ashwin bowling 26 wickets. The series confirmed India’s dominance at home.
Fast forward to January-February 2025, and India continued to impress in the Limited Overs format. In the T20I series, India convincingly won the T20I series 4-1, with Abhishek Sharma scoring an explosive 135*. In ODI’s, Virat Kohli made history as the first Indian to surpass 4000 against England.
After gearing up for the 2025 Test Tour of England, fans watched the exciting five-Test Pataudi Trophy, ending up in a 2-2 draw. Shubman Gill was on fire, scoring 754 runs, and Mohammed Siraj was brilliant with his 23 wickets. An interesting story from the fourth Test at Old Trafford was India fielded five left-handed batters in a Test for the first time in their 592-test history! Isn’t this a quirky milestone!
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Head-to-Head Records (as of 2025)
- Tests: ~136 matches, England leads 51–35; ~50 draws
- ODIs: India leads 61–44.
- T20Is: India leads 17–12.
- Overall Across Formats: India edges ahead 113–107
This shows how, despite England’s historical dominance, India has caught up and overtaken in limited-overs formats.
Iconic Players Who Defined the Rivalry
India: Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, Sourav Ganguly, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja.
England: Ian Botham, David Gower, Graham Gooch, Andrew Flintoff, Kevin Pietersen, Alastair Cook, Ben Stokes, James Anderson.
These players were not just shape results; they also brought context, drama, value, and character to the events.
Why Does This Rivalry Matters?
The India–England rivalry stands out because:
- It began during colonial times but has walked into sporting parity.
- The conditions are very different, swing-friendly English conditions compared to spin-friendly Indian conditions.
- Both boards (BCCI & ECB) are two of the most powerful in cricket, making these series both commercially and culturally important.
- Fans on either side fill stadiums, and follow the matches religiously at either venue, whether at Lord’s or Eden Gardens.
Looking Ahead
With both nations having strong pipelines of players, India bringing up some young names such as Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal and England having a Baseball-inspired team under Ben Stokes, the next decade will be characterized by faster scoring rates, riskier approaches and closer games. Expect to see more of:
- Five-Test thrillers
- ODIs with massive totals and exciting Yet also scary run-chases
- T20Is with 200 + totals
Conclusion: Nine Decades of Drama
The rivalry between the England team and the Indian team is one of the most exciting and enduring in the history of cricket. The match between these two teams has always been eagerly anticipated. The statistics and memorable moments highlight the competitive nature of the encounters. Both these teams have continued to develop and produce top class players. This rivalry in future promises to bring even more thrilling matches. Be it a test series, an ODI battle or a T20 showdown. The fans of Cricket can always expect high quality cricket matches when India and England face off.