February 1959 brought the powerful West Indies team to Delhi for the third Test of the series. Led by the dynamic captain Gerry Alexander, the Caribbean side arrived with momentum, flair, and a group of young cricketers who would later define cricket history.
India, captained by Commodore Hemu Adhikari, entered the contest hoping to revive their fortunes after struggling in the earlier Tests. The home crowd at Feroz Shah Kotla expected a spirited fightback, but what unfolded was a masterclass from the West Indies, particularly their young batting phenomenon Garfield Sobers, who produced one of the finest innings seen on Indian soil.
India battled hard, but inconsistency in batting and West Indies’ relentless pace and spin attack resulted in a heavy defeat by an innings and 109 runs.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | India vs. West Indies – 3rd Test |
| Dates | 6–11 February 1959 |
| Venue | Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi |
| Toss | West Indies won the toss and elected to bat |
| Result | West Indies won by an innings and 109 runs |
| Match Format | 5-day Test |
| Umpires | G. D. Gude & M. V. Gothoskar |
| Significance | West Indies take series control with a dominant all-round display |
Team Lineups
| India (Playing XI) | West Indies (Playing XI) |
|---|---|
| Hemu Adhikari (c) | Gerry Alexander (c & wk) |
| Pankaj Roy | Conrad Hunte |
| Nari Contractor | Rohan Kanhai |
| Polly Umrigar | Garfield Sobers |
| Vijay Manjrekar | Basil Butcher |
| Ramnath Kenny | Joe Solomon |
| Bapu Nadkarni | Denis Atkinson |
| Chandu Borde | Tom Dewdney |
| Subhash Gupte | Wes Hall |
| Surendranath | Roy Gilchrist |
| Naren Tamhane (wk) | Alf Valentine |
West Indies 1st Innings – 475 all out
Winning the toss, West Indies batted first on a good Kotla surface. India struck early through Surendranath, but once Conrad Hunte (82) and Rohan Kanhai (92) settled in, the innings turned into a display of classy strokeplay.
The highlight, however, was Garfield Sobers’ majestic 144, an innings filled with elegant drives, wristy flicks, and towering strokes. His century completely deflated India’s attack, pushing West Indies to a commanding total.
Leg-spinner Subhash Gupte (4/130) bowled tirelessly and emerged as India’s best bowler on the day.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Conrad Hunte | 82 | c Nadkarni b Gupte |
| Rohan Kanhai | 92 | c Contractor b Surendranath |
| Garfield Sobers | 144 | b Gupte |
| Basil Butcher | 44 | lbw b Nadkarni |
| Joe Solomon | 28 | b Borde |
| Gerry Alexander (c/wk) | 36 | c Tamhane b Borde |
| Denis Atkinson | 10 | c Manjrekar b Nadkarni |
| Tom Dewdney | 8 | b Gupte |
| Wes Hall | 6 | c Gupte b Surendranath |
| Roy Gilchrist | 1 | b Gupte |
| Alf Valentine | 5* | Not out |
| Extras | 19 | |
| Total | 475 all out |
India 1st Innings – 208 all out
India’s reply began with hope through Pankaj Roy (45) and Nari Contractor (41), who showed grit against the fiery pace duo of Wes Hall and Roy Gilchrist. But once the top order fell, the innings unraveled quickly.
The Caribbean fast bowlers bowled with pace and aggression, while Valentine’s left-arm spin (3/52) tightened the screws. Apart from Polly Umrigar (39), no other middle-order batsman could build a substantial innings.
India were bowled out for just 208, conceding a massive first-innings deficit.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Pankaj Roy | 45 | c Hunte b Hall |
| Nari Contractor | 41 | b Gilchrist |
| Hemu Adhikari (c) | 14 | c Alexander b Valentine |
| Polly Umrigar | 39 | c Kanhai b Dewdney |
| Vijay Manjrekar | 18 | b Gilchrist |
| Ramnath Kenny | 12 | c Butcher b Valentine |
| Chandu Borde | 11 | b Hall |
| Bapu Nadkarni | 9 | lbw b Valentine |
| Subhash Gupte | 6 | b Gilchrist |
| Surendranath | 5 | c Alexander b Hall |
| Naren Tamhane (wk) | 3* | Not out |
| Extras | 5 | |
| Total | 208 all out |
India 2nd Innings – 158 all out
Asked to follow on and needing 267 just to make West Indies bat again, India’s challenge grew even tougher. The pitch had begun to crumble, offering sharp turn and inconsistent bounce.
Nari Contractor fought bravely for 34, and Manjrekar added 26, but regular wickets kept falling. Hall and Gilchrist continued to intimidate with pace, while spin from Valentine ensured no partnerships flourished.
India folded for 158, handing West Indies a dominant win by an innings and 109 runs.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Pankaj Roy | 22 | b Hall |
| Nari Contractor | 34 | c Atkinson b Gilchrist |
| Hemu Adhikari | 15 | lbw b Valentine |
| Polly Umrigar | 21 | c Alexander b Gilchrist |
| Vijay Manjrekar | 26 | b Hall |
| Ramnath Kenny | 8 | c Sobers b Valentine |
| Chandu Borde | 10 | b Hall |
| Bapu Nadkarni | 7 | b Valentine |
| Subhash Gupte | 5 | c Butcher b Gilchrist |
| Surendranath | 4 | b Hall |
| Naren Tamhane | 2* | Not out |
| Total | 158 all out |
West Indies won by an innings and 109 runs
Highlights of the Match
- Garfield Sobers’ sublime 144 established West Indies’ dominance early.
- Subhash Gupte’s tireless 4/130 was the lone bright spot in India’s bowling.
- The West Indian pace trio Hall, Gilchrist, and Dewdney overpowered India with speed and aggression.
- Valentine’s spin (6 wickets in the match) added pressure through accuracy and control.
- India’s top order showed glimpses of resistance but lacked partnerships to match West Indies’ massive first-innings tally.
- The defeat gave West Indies a commanding lead in the series, showcasing their growing strength in world cricket.