India’s 1951-52 home Test season continued with the third Test at Brabourne Stadium, Bombay, a venue known for true bounce, fast outfields, and large, enthusiastic crowds. With England leading the series, India looked to bounce back and assert itself on home soil.
However, the Test played from 12 to 17 December 1951 unfolded as a commanding English performance. From disciplined bowling to solid batting and clinical finishing, England outclassed India and secured a 10-wicket victory, strengthening their grip on the series.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | India vs England |
| Dates | 12–17 December 1951 |
| Venue | Brabourne Stadium, Bombay |
| Toss | England won the toss and elected to field |
| Result | England won by 10 wickets |
| Match Format | 5-day Test Match |
| Umpires | Mohammad Yakub & A. F. W. De Silva |
| Significance | England displayed complete dominance through disciplined bowling, steady batting, and a ruthless finish |
Team Lineups
| India (Playing XI) | England (Playing XI) |
|---|---|
| Vijay Hazare (Captain) | Nigel Howard (Captain) |
| Pankaj Roy | Len Hutton |
| Mushtaq Ali | Reg Simpson |
| Polly Umrigar | Tom Graveney |
| Hemu Adhikari | Denis Compton |
| Dattu Phadkar | Peter May |
| Ghulam Ahmed | Godfrey Evans (wk) |
| Vinoo Mankad | Trevor Bailey |
| Gopalaswamy Kasturirangan | Jim Laker |
| Probir Sen (wk) | Alec Bedser |
| Ramchand | Brian Statham |
India 1st Innings – 207 All Out
India struggled badly against England’s sharp, disciplined attack. The pitch offered good carry, and the English pacers exploited every bit of assistance.
Top contributors:
- Vijay Hazare – 41
- Pankaj Roy – 32
- Polly Umrigar – 30
Alec Bedser and Brian Statham delivered probing spells, while Laker ensured India never settled.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Pankaj Roy | 32 | b Bedser |
| Mushtaq Ali | 11 | c Evans b Statham |
| Vijay Hazare (c) | 41 | lbw b Bailey |
| Polly Umrigar | 30 | c Howard b Bedser |
| Hemu Adhikari | 16 | b Laker |
| Dattu Phadkar | 9 | c Compton b Bailey |
| Vinoo Mankad | 14 | c Evans b Statham |
| Ghulam Ahmed | 10 | b Laker |
| G. Kasturirangan | 5 | c Hutton b Statham |
| Probir Sen (wk) | 17 | c Evans b Bedser |
| Ramchand | 6 | Not out |
| Extras | 16 | |
| Total | 207 all out |
Best Bowling (England):
- Alec Bedser – 4/43
- Brian Statham – 3/46
- Trevor Bailey – 2/35
England 1st Innings – 347 All Out
England’s reply was marked by classical, controlled batting.
The Indian bowlers found little movement, and the English lineup batted deep.
Top performers:
- Len Hutton – 92
- Peter May – 78
- Tom Graveney – 53
Mankad and Ghulam Ahmed bowled tirelessly but without consistent breakthroughs.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Len Hutton | 92 | c Ali b Mankad |
| Reg Simpson | 28 | c Sen b Phadkar |
| Tom Graveney | 53 | c Hazare b Ahmed |
| Denis Compton | 31 | b Ghulam Ahmed |
| Peter May | 78 | c Umrigar b Kasturirangan |
| Nigel Howard (c) | 16 | b Phadkar |
| Trevor Bailey | 18 | c Sen b Mankad |
| Godfrey Evans (wk) | 8 | b Ahmed |
| Alec Bedser | 10 | Not out |
| Jim Laker | 4 | c Roy b Ahmed |
| Brian Statham | 0 | b Mankad |
| Extras | 9 | |
| Total | 347 all out |
Best Bowling (India):
- Ghulam Ahmed – 3/88
- Vinoo Mankad – 3/112
- Dattu Phadkar – 2/55
India 2nd Innings – 210 All Out
Trailing by 140 runs, India needed a big second-innings effort.
However, England once again applied immense pressure.
Top scorers:
- Polly Umrigar – 52
- Pankaj Roy – 34
- Vinoo Mankad – 29
Bedser and Laker never allowed the Indians to build meaningful partnerships.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Pankaj Roy | 34 | c Evans b Statham |
| Mushtaq Ali | 12 | lbw b Laker |
| Vijay Hazare (c) | 21 | c Simpson b Bailey |
| Polly Umrigar | 52 | c May b Bedser |
| Hemu Adhikari | 17 | b Bedser |
| Dattu Phadkar | 11 | c Howard b Statham |
| Vinoo Mankad | 29 | c Compton b Laker |
| Ghulam Ahmed | 8 | b Bailey |
| G. Kasturirangan | 7 | b Statham |
| Probir Sen (wk) | 10 | c Evans b Bedser |
| Ramchand | 3 | Not out |
| Extras | 6 | |
| Total | 210 all out |
Best Bowling (England):
- Alec Bedser – 4/48
- Brian Statham – 3/59
- Jim Laker – 2/51
England Chasing – 71/0
Needing just 71 runs, England finished the job without losing a wicket:
- Hutton – 45*
- Simpson – 26*
A clinical end to a dominant all-round performance.
Match Result: England won by 10 wickets
England
- Hutton’s near-century and flawless chase
- May and Graveney’s composed middle-order batting
- Bedser and Statham’s outstanding seam partnership
- Laker’s crucial breakthroughs
India
- Umrigar’s fighting fifty
- Mankad and Ghulam Ahmed bowled long, determined spells
- Roy and Hazare showed glimpses of resistance
Despite the loss, the Bombay Test offered lessons in handling high-quality English bowling and the importance of batting partnerships on testing pitches.
Highlights of the Match
- Alec Bedser’s 8 wickets across two innings
- Len Hutton’s masterful 92 in the first innings
- Polly Umrigar’s fighting second-innings fifty
- England’s clinical 10-wicket chase
- India’s struggle on a lively Brabourne surface