Mid-December 1952 brought the India–Pakistan series to the iconic Eden Gardens in Calcutta – the venue known for passion, pressure, and historic cricketing moments. With the series level at 1–1 after India’s win in Delhi and Pakistan’s landmark victory in Lucknow, the third Test, held between December 12 and 15, 1952, held immense significance.
India, led by Vijay Hazare, aimed to reclaim control of the series, while A. H. Kardar’s Pakistan arrived with high confidence. What followed was a gripping contest marked by disciplined bowling, determined batting, and phases of momentum shifting both ways.
Ultimately, neither side could force a result, and the match ended in a well-contested draw, leaving the series finely poised.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | India vs. Pakistan – 3rd Test |
| Dates | 12–15 December 1952 |
| Venue | Eden Gardens, Calcutta |
| Toss | Pakistan won the toss and elected to field |
| Result | Match Drawn |
| Match Format | 5-day Test |
| Umpires | C. Ramaswamy & B. S. N. Singh |
| Significance | Third Test of the 1952 series; battle to gain series lead |
Team Lineups
| India (Playing XI) | Pakistan (Playing XI) |
|---|---|
| Vijay Hazare (c) | A. H. Kardar (c) |
| Pankaj Roy | Nazar Mohammad |
| Polly Umrigar | Hanif Mohammad |
| Hemu Adhikari | Maqsood Ahmed |
| Vinoo Mankad | Imtiaz Ahmed (wk) |
| Dattu Phadkar | Mahmood Hussain |
| Gul Mohammad | Fazal Mahmood |
| Ghulam Ahmed | Khan Mohammad |
| Probir Sen (wk) | Anwar Hussain |
| Ramchand | Shujauddin |
| Lala Amarnath | Abdul Kadir |
India 1st Innings – 344 all out
Put in to bat first by Pakistan, India responded with a solid and composed batting effort. The innings was anchored by a commanding knock from Polly Umrigar (118), whose mixture of classical strokeplay and patience frustrated Pakistan’s bowlers.
Support came from Pankaj Roy (69) at the top and a gritty contribution from Vijay Hazare (64) in the middle order. Despite occasional breakthroughs by Fazal Mahmood (4/95) and Khan Mohammad (3/72), India pushed their way to a strong total of 344.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Pankaj Roy | 69 | c Hanif b Fazal |
| Vijay Hazare (c) | 64 | c Kardar b Khan Mohammad |
| Polly Umrigar | 118 | b Fazal Mahmood |
| Hemu Adhikari | 32 | lbw Anwar Hussain |
| Gul Mohammad | 14 | c Imtiaz b Khan Mohammad |
| Dattu Phadkar | 17 | b Khan Mohammad |
| Vinoo Mankad | 9 | b Fazal Mahmood |
| Ghulam Ahmed | 5 | c Nazar b Fazal |
| Probir Sen (wk) | 5 | c Kardar b Shujauddin |
| Lala Amarnath | 7 | b Anwar Hussain |
| Ramchand | 4* | Not out |
| Total | 344 all out |
Pakistan 1st Innings – 250 all out
Pakistan began their reply cautiously against India’s disciplined spin attack. Hanif Mohammad (62) once again displayed his trademark patience and technique, holding firm at one end. Contributions from Nazar Mohammad (44) and Kardar (37) kept the innings alive.
India’s bowlers, led by Vinoo Mankad (4/82) and Ghulam Ahmed (3/63), controlled the middle overs and prevented Pakistan from getting close to India’s total.
Pakistan were bowled out for 250, giving India a lead of 94 runs.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Nazar Mohammad | 44 | b Ghulam Ahmed |
| Hanif Mohammad | 62 | c Sen b Mankad |
| Abdul Kadir | 13 | b Mankad |
| Maqsood Ahmed | 21 | c Umrigar b Phadkar |
| A. H. Kardar (c) | 37 | c Adhikari b Mankad |
| Imtiaz Ahmed (wk) | 24 | b Vinoo Mankad |
| Mahmood Hussain | 10 | b Ghulam Ahmed |
| Fazal Mahmood | 7 | c Roy b Ramchand |
| Khan Mohammad | 11 | c Hazare b Ghulam Ahmed |
| Anwar Hussain | 6 | b Mankad |
| Shujauddin | 6* | Not out |
| Total | 250 all out |
India 2nd Innings – 208/7 declared
Looking to set a challenging target and force a result, India batted with urgency. Vijay Hazare (52) and Umrigar (41) again provided stability, while quick runs came from Phadkar (33).
Fazal Mahmood and Anwar Hussain bowled tightly to slow India down, but with time running out, Hazare declared at 208/7, leaving Pakistan a target of 303 for victory.
Pakistan 2nd Innings – 128/4
Pakistan approached the chase with caution as India’s spinners tightened the field. Hanif Mohammad (39)* once again showed his resilience, while Kardar (26) provided support.
But fading light and a slowing pitch meant the game drifted toward a stalemate. Pakistan reached 128/4 before stumps on the final day, securing a hard-fought draw.
Match Drawn
Highlights of the Match
- The series remained level after a competitive contest at Eden Gardens.
- Polly Umrigar’s superb 118 set up India’s strong first innings.
- Vijay Hazare’s consistent batting (64 & 52) underlined his leadership.
- Mankad and Ghulam Ahmed spun effectively to restrict Pakistan.
- Hanif Mohammad’s calm and disciplined batting (62 & 39*) shone throughout.
- Both teams fought hard, setting the stage for an exciting next Test.