The 4th Test of the England tour of India 1961–62 at Eden Gardens, Calcutta, saw India produce a commanding performance on home soil, clinching a memorable victory by 187 runs. After winning the toss and electing to bat, India amassed a strong first-innings total, backed by contributions from multiple batters. England folded twice under sustained pressure from India’s bowling attack. The win was a major highlight in a series where India showcased both resilience and skill against a quality English side.
Venue & Match Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | England vs India, 4th Test |
| Dates | 30 Dec 1961 – 4 Jan 1962 |
| Venue | Eden Gardens, Calcutta |
| Toss | India won the toss and elected to bat |
| Result | India won by 187 runs |
| Match Format | 5-day Test Match |
| Umpires | H.E. Choudhury & S.K. Raghunatha Rao |
| Series | England tour of India 1961/62 |
Team Lineups (Playing XI)
| India (Playing XI) | England (Playing XI) |
|---|---|
| Nari Contractor (c) | Peter Richardson |
| Vijay Mehra | Eric Russell |
| Vijay Manjrekar | Ken Barrington |
| Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi | Ted Dexter (c) |
| Polly Umrigar | Bob Barber |
| M.L. Jaisimha | Peter Parfitt |
| Chandu Borde | Barry Knight |
| Salim Durani | David Allen |
| Farokh Engineer (wk) | Geoff Millman (wk) |
| Ramakant Desai | Tony Lock |
| Vasant Ranjane | David Smith |
India 1st Innings – 380 all out
India got off to a steady start with valuable contributions across the order. Vijay Mehra (62) provided stability, while Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi (64) and Chandu Borde (68) paced India to a competitive first innings total. Bowling for England saw David Allen pick up five wickets to restrict India.
| Batsman | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Nari Contractor (c) | 4 | b Smith |
| Vijay Mehra | 62 | c Parfitt b Lock |
| Vijay Manjrekar | 24 | b Allen |
| Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi | 64 | c Lock b Allen |
| Polly Umrigar | 36 | c Smith b Allen |
| M.L. Jaisimha | 37 | c Millman b Smith |
| Chandu Borde | 68 | run out |
| Salim Durani | 43 | b Allen |
| Farokh Engineer (wk) | 12 | c Parfitt b Lock |
| Ramakant Desai | 13* | not out |
| Vasant Ranjane | 7 | c Barber b Allen |
| Extras | 10 | |
| Total | 380 all out |
England 1st Innings – 212 all out
England’s top order struggled to build momentum. Peter Richardson’s 62 was the mainstay, but India’s bowlers, led by Salim Durani, applied relentless pressure, Durani taking five wickets to skittle England out for 212.
| Batsman | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Peter Richardson | 62 | c Contractor b Borde |
| Eric Russell | 10 | b Ranjane |
| Ken Barrington | 14 | b Durani |
| Peter Parfitt | 21 | c sub b Borde |
| Ted Dexter (c) | 57 | b Borde |
| Bob Barber | 12 | b Borde |
| Barry Knight | 12 | st Engineer b Durani |
| David Allen | 15 | b Durani |
| Geoff Millman (wk) | 0 | c Engineer b Durani |
| Tony Lock | 2* | not out |
| David Smith | 0 | b Durani |
| Extras | 7 | |
| Total | 212 all out |
India 2nd Innings – 252 all out
India added further runs thanks to Chandu Borde’s 61 and useful contributions from others. Australia’s second innings total set a challenging target.
| Batsman | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Nari Contractor | 11 | st Millman b Allen |
| M.L. Jaisimha | 36 | b Lock |
| Vijay Manjrekar | 27 | st Millman b Lock |
| Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi | 32 | c Millman b Lock |
| Farokh Engineer (wk) | 9 | c Millman b Allen |
| Polly Umrigar | 36 | b Allen |
| Salim Durani | 0 | c Parfitt b Lock |
| Chandu Borde | 61 | c Barrington b Allen |
| Ramakant Desai | 29 | c Parfitt b Knight |
| Vasant Ranjane | 0 | c Lock b Knight |
| Vijay Mehra | 7* | not out |
| Extras | 4 | |
| Total | 252 all out |
England 2nd Innings – 233 all out
Chasing a steep target of 421, England showed fight with Ted Dexter (62) and Peter Parfitt (46) making useful contributions. However, India’s bowling attack, led by Salim Durani and Ramakant Desai, kept taking wickets to secure a comprehensive win.
| Batsman | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Peter Richardson | 42 | b Umrigar |
| Eric Russell | 9 | b Ranjane |
| Ken Barrington | 3 | c Durani b Desai |
| Ted Dexter (c) | 62 | lbw b Durani |
| Bob Barber | 6 | c Jaisimha b Durani |
| Peter Parfitt | 46 | lbw b Umrigar |
| Barry Knight | 39* | not out |
| David Allen | 7 | c Manjrekar b Desai |
| Geoff Millman (wk) | 4 | b Ranjane |
| Tony Lock | 1 | run out |
| David Smith | 2 | c Manjrekar b Durani |
| Extras | 12 | |
| Total | 233 all out |
Match Highlights
- India’s strong first-innings total (380) laid the foundation for victory.
- Salim Durani’s all-round performance (five wickets and critical pressure) turned the game.
- Chandu Borde’s consistent contributions in both innings anchored India’s batting. IMG Cricket
- India won the match by 187 runs, a significant triumph in the series. ESPN Cricinfo