Once converted into a transit camp for prisoners of war during the second World War in 1944, The Oval is one of the world’s iconic cricket grounds.
Photo: IANS
Once converted into a transit camp for prisoners of war during the second World War in 1944, The Oval is one of the world’s iconic cricket grounds. With 107 Test matches hosted to date, it stands steeped in history as it prepares to welcome India and England for the fifth and final Test of the ongoing series for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, starting Thursday. With England holding a 2-1 advantage, the match presents a final opportunity for India to level the series and salvage a hard-fought campaign on English soil.
The Oval hosted the first-ever Test match on English soil in 1880 and just two years later was the site of England’s loss to Australia, a result that sparked the birth of the Ashes rivalry. The ground also provided the backdrop for a poignant cricketing farewell in 1948, when the legendary Don Bradman was dismissed for a duck in his final Test innings, finishing his career with a staggering average of 99.94.
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In 2005, it was at The Oval where England ended an 18-year wait to regain the Ashes. A year later, it was the centre of controversy as Pakistan forfeited a Test, the first such instance in 129 years, after protests over ball-tampering charges. The result was later awarded to England following MCC intervention.
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India’s record at The Oval
India’s record at The Oval is far from impressive with mere two victories in 14 appearances. India played their first Test at The Oval in 1936, losing by nine wickets. It took 35 years to secure their maiden win at the venue, which came in 1971 under the leadership of Ajit Wadekar when the visitors beat England by four wickets in the historic clash.
Since then, India have drawn five Tests and lost three more at The Oval. India finally ended their 40-year wait for a second Test win at the venue, when Virat Kohli’s side triumphed by 157 runs in 2021.
India last played a Test at The Oval in 2023 — the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia. The match ended in a 209-run defeat for Rohit Sharma’s side, who announced his retirement from the longest format, a couple of weeks before the squad for the ongoing five-Test series for the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy, was picked.
On the other hand, England have featured in 106 Tests at The Oval, winning 45 and losing only 24. The remaining 37 matches were drawn. The home team’s lowest total at the venue is 52 – against Australia in 1948. Against India, England were once bowled out for 101 at this ground, back in 1971.
India’s agony with 500+ scores
India have crossed 500 runs at The Oval on three occasions, all of which ended in draws. Their highest-ever score at the venue is 664, achieved in 2007 against England. In 2021, they posted 466 runs in the second innings to script a famous win.
England’s top score at the venue remains 903 against Australia in 1938. Against India, they have crossed the 590-run mark twice, with one of those games ending in a draw and the other in victory. Overall, England have scored over 500 ten times in 190 innings at The Oval.
Milestones alert
India skipper Shubman Gill is on the verge of etching his name into the record books at The Oval. Leading from the front in his debut series as the captain, Gill has so far amassed 722 runs in four Tests, and needs just 53 more to record the highest score by an Indian in a Test series, surpassing Sunil Gavaskar’s all-time Indian record of 774 runs, set against West Indies in 1971.
Gill is also within striking distance of another monumental milestone as he needs only 89 more runs to eclipse Bradman’s record of 810 runs, the highest by a captain in a single Test series, achieved against England in 1936.
Additionally, the 25-year-old requires only 11 runs to become the most prolific Indian captain in a single Test series, overtaking Gavaskar’s 732 runs against the West Indies in 1978.
With four centuries already in the series, Gill has drawn level with Bradman and Gavaskar for the most hundreds in a single Test series. One more will see him stand alone at the top of that list. Should he manage two more in the final Test at The Oval, Gill will set a new all-time record for the most centuries scored by any player in a single Test series.
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