After the Lord’s defeat, India moved north to Manchester with renewed determination. Under the calm leadership of Nawab of Pataudi Sr., the visitors were eager to bounce back and prove their mettle against Wally Hammond’s England. The second Test at Old Trafford saw a spirited performance from the Indians, who battled bravely across four days to secure a hard-fought draw.
In challenging English conditions, Vijay Merchant, Vinoo Mankad, and Lala Amarnath delivered standout performances, showcasing India’s growing maturity and resilience in the post-war cricketing world. This match not only restored pride after the Lord’s loss but also gave India their first draw on English soil since 1936.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | England vs. India, 2nd Test |
| Dates | 20–23 July 1946 |
| Venue | Old Trafford, Manchester |
| Toss | England won the toss and elected to bat |
| Result | Match Drawn |
| Match Format | 3-day Test Match |
| Umpires | F. J. Chester & H. B. W. Gwyther |
| Debut/Significance | India’s first draw of the 1946 series marked an improvement in performance |
Team Lineups
| India (Playing XI) | England (Playing XI) |
|---|---|
| Nawab of Pataudi Sr. (Captain) | Wally Hammond (Captain) |
| Vijay Merchant | Len Hutton |
| Vinoo Mankad | Cyril Washbrook |
| Mushtaq Ali | Denis Compton |
| Rusi Modi | Joe Hardstaff Jr. |
| Lala Amarnath | Norman Yardley |
| Vijay Hazare | Paul Gibb |
| C. S. Nayudu | Godfrey Evans (Wk) |
| Dattu Phadkar | Alec Bedser |
| Amir Elahi | Bill Voce |
| Shute Banerjee | Doug Wright |
England 1st Innings – 294 all out
Winning the toss under cloudy skies, England elected to bat first but faced steady pressure from India’s bowlers. Len Hutton (69) and Joe Hardstaff Jr. (44) provided early resistance, but it was Norman Yardley’s patient 55 that gave the innings substance.
India’s spinners, Vinoo Mankad (4/125) and Amir Elahi (3/48), bowled with discipline and control, exploiting Old Trafford’s turning surface effectively. England were dismissed for 294 late on Day 1.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Len Hutton | 69 | c Merchant b Mankad |
| Cyril Washbrook | 27 | b Elahi |
| Denis Compton | 27 | c Hazare b Elahi |
| Wally Hammond (c) | 23 | c Pataudi b Elahi |
| Joe Hardstaff Jr. | 44 | b Mankad |
| Norman Yardley | 55 | c Amarnath b Mankad |
| Paul Gibb | 19 | b Mankad |
| Godfrey Evans (wk) | 9 | c Modi b Phadkar |
| Alec Bedser | 3 | c Nayudu b Mankad |
| Doug Wright | 4 | b Banerjee |
| Bill Voce | 0* | Not out |
| Extras | 14 | |
| Total | 294 all out (122 overs) |
India 1st Innings – 170 all out
India’s reply began positively with Vijay Merchant (42) and Mushtaq Ali (24) adding 55 for the first wicket. However, England’s bowling pair of Alec Bedser and Bill Voce again proved dangerous with the new ball. Bedser’s relentless accuracy earned him 4 wickets for 37, while Voce added 3 for 43.
Despite a few promising starts, India was bowled out for 170, conceding a lead of 124 runs.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Vijay Merchant | 42 | b Bedser |
| Mushtaq Ali | 24 | c Evans b Voce |
| Nawab of Pataudi (c) | 14 | c Yardley b Bedser |
| Vijay Hazare | 17 | c Evans b Bedser |
| Lala Amarnath | 22 | b Voce |
| Rusi Modi | 13 | b Wright |
| Vinoo Mankad | 11 | c Compton b Voce |
| C. S. Nayudu | 7 | c Hammond b Bedser |
| Dattu Phadkar | 5 | b Wright |
| Amir Elahi | 3 | lbw b Wright |
| Shute Banerjee | 1* | Not out |
| Extras | 11 | |
| Total | 170 all out (83 overs) |
England 2nd Innings – 153/5 declared
With a comfortable lead, England batted briskly in their second innings to set India a testing target. Len Hutton (57) again led from the front, while Denis Compton (36) added quick runs. Captain Wally Hammond declared the innings at 153 for 5, setting India a nominal target of 278 with time running out.
For India, Amir Elahi and Vinoo Mankad continued to impress, taking 2 wickets each.
India 2nd Innings – 152/9 (Match Drawn)
India faced a stern challenge on the final day, battling not only England’s bowling but also deteriorating pitch conditions. Vijay Merchant (128)* played one of the finest innings of his career, an innings of patience, concentration, and artistry. He carried his bat through the innings, defying England’s attack for over 6 hours to ensure India escaped defeat.
Supported briefly by Vinoo Mankad (18) and Lala Amarnath (15), Merchant’s masterclass secured a memorable draw for the visitors. The match ended with India at 152 for 9, a moral victory for a side still building its Test credentials.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Vijay Merchant | 128* | Not out |
| Mushtaq Ali | 3 | c Evans b Bedser |
| Nawab of Pataudi (c) | 0 | lbw b Bedser |
| Vijay Hazare | 5 | c Hammond b Wright |
| Lala Amarnath | 15 | b Voce |
| Rusi Modi | 1 | b Wright |
| Vinoo Mankad | 18 | c Evans b Voce |
| C. S. Nayudu | 0 | c Yardley b Wright |
| Dattu Phadkar | 0 | b Bedser |
| Amir Elahi | 1 | b Voce |
| Shute Banerjee | 0* | Not out |
| Extras | 4 | |
| Total | 152/9 (86 overs) |
Highlights of the Match
- Vijay Merchant’s heroic 128 not out in the second innings was one of India’s finest rearguard efforts in early Test history.
- The draw marked India’s first non-defeat on English soil since 1936.
- Vinoo Mankad (6 wickets) and Amir Elahi (5 wickets) shared the bowling honors across the match.
- Alec Bedser continued his fine debut series form, taking 6 wickets in the match.
- The Old Trafford crowd applauded Merchant’s epic resistance, a performance later described by Wisden as “an innings of rare temperament and artistry.”
