The spring of 1953 saw India travel to the Caribbean for one of the most challenging tours in their early cricketing history. The final test of the series unfolded at the iconic Sabina Park, Kingston, from March 28 to April 2, 1953. Facing a formidable West Indies side filled with flair, fire, and fast bowling, India produced one of their most resilient performances away from home, securing a hard-earned draw.
Led by Ghulam Ahmed, India showed courage and technique against a West Indies lineup spearheaded by Everton Weekes, Frank Worrell, and the deadly spin of Sonny Ramadhin. The match was dominated by high-scoring, grueling spells in the sun and a stubborn Indian batting unit that refused to fold.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | West Indies vs. India – 5th Test |
| Dates | 28 March – 2 April 1953 |
| Venue | Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica |
| Toss | West Indies won the toss and batted first |
| Result | Match drawn |
| Match Format | 5-day Test |
| Umpires | J. K. Holt Sr. & E. L. Richards |
| Significance | Final Test of the 1952–53 series; India avoided defeat with determined batting |
Team Lineups
| India (Playing XI) | West Indies (Playing XI) |
|---|---|
| Ghulam Ahmed (c) | John Goddard (c) |
| Pankaj Roy | Jeff Stollmeyer |
| Polly Umrigar | Allan Rae |
| Vijay Hazare | Everton Weekes |
| Vinoo Mankad | Frank Worrell |
| Dattu Phadkar | Clyde Walcott |
| Gul Mohammad | Gerry Gomez |
| Ramchand | Denis Atkinson |
| Probir Sen (wk) | Alfred Valentine |
| CD Gopinath | Sonny Ramadhin |
| Baloo Gupte | Lance Gibbs |
West Indies 1st Innings – 576/8 declared
Winning the toss on a flat Sabina Park wicket, West Indies batted with typical Caribbean flair. The innings was built around the brilliance of Everton Weekes (195), whose strokeplay dominated the Indian bowlers throughout the day.
He found strong support in Frank Worrell (108), forming the backbone of a giant total. Clyde Walcott (91) added power in the middle order, pushing India on the defensive for long stretches.
India’s bowlers fought hard, with Vinoo Mankad (3 wickets) and Ghulam Ahmed (2 wickets) showing patience on an unhelpful surface, but the West Indies’ dominance was overwhelming.
The West Indies declared at 576/8, putting India under immediate scoreboard pressure.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Jeff Stollmeyer | 34 | c Roy b Mankad |
| Allan Rae | 49 | b Mankad |
| Everton Weekes | 195 | c Roy b Mankad |
| Frank Worrell | 108 | b Ghulam Ahmed |
| Clyde Walcott | 91 | c Phadkar b Ghulam Ahmed |
| Gerry Gomez | 55* | Not out |
| John Goddard (c) | 32 | b Mankad |
| Denis Atkinson | 12 | b Ghulam Ahmed |
| Alfred Valentine | 0 | b Mankad |
| Sonny Ramadhin | 0* | Not out |
| Lance Gibbs | 0 | b Mankad |
| Extras | 0 | |
| Total | 576/8 declared |
Bowling – India
- Vinoo Mankad – 3/134
- Ghulam Ahmed – 2/102
- Dattu Phadkar – 1/96
- Others – 2/144
India 1st Innings – 333 all out
India’s reply relied heavily on the experience of Vijay Hazare (83) and Polly Umrigar (69). Both batsmen weathered the storm of Ramadhin and Valentine, building a steady middle-order resistance.
Lower down, Dattu Phadkar (48) added crucial runs, but India remained far behind the West Indies’ massive total. Regular breakthroughs from Ramadhin (4/95) prevented India from closing the gap.
India finished on 333, trailing by 243 runs.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Pankaj Roy | 55 | c Gomez b Ramadhin |
| Polly Umrigar | 69 | b Ramadhin |
| Vijay Hazare | 83 | b Valentine |
| Dattu Phadkar | 48 | c Worrell b Ramadhin |
| Ghulam Ahmed | 22 | b Ramadhin |
| Ramchand | 14 | b Ramadhin |
| CD Gopinath | 19 | c Goddard b Ramadhin |
| Baloo Gupte | 5 | b Ramadhin |
| Probir Sen (wk) | 10 | c Gomez b Valentine |
| Vinoo Mankad | 8 | b Ramadhin |
| Extras | 1 | |
| Total | 333 all out |
Bowling – West Indies
- Sonny Ramadhin – 4/95
- Alfred Valentine – 2/79
- Others – 5/159
West Indies 2nd Innings – 88/1 declared
The West Indies opted to bat again, scoring quickly with Worrell and Weekes once again troubling the Indian bowlers. After reaching 88/1, Captain Goddard declared, setting India a steep but achievable task of saving the Test.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Everton Weekes | 41* | Not out |
| Frank Worrell | 27* | Not out |
| Others | ||
| Total | 88/1 declared |
Bowling – India
- Vinoo Mankad – 1/25
- Ghulam Ahmed – 0/18
- Others – 0/45
India 2nd Innings – 217/6 (Match Drawn)
India’s second-innings task was survival, and they executed it with discipline. Pankaj Roy (55) and Umrigar (45) soaked up pressure for key periods. The decisive phase came from Mankad (43), who combined defensive grit with calm footwork against the spinners.
Despite the deteriorating pitch and aggressive West Indies attack, India held firm until stumps on the final day. At 217/6, the captains agreed to a draw.
India left Kingston with pride, having resisted one of the world’s strongest batting units on their home soil.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Pankaj Roy | 55 | b Ramadhin |
| Polly Umrigar | 45 | c Gomez b Ramadhin |
| Vijay Hazare | 34 | b Ramadhin |
| Dattu Phadkar | 28 | c Worrell b Ramadhin |
| Ghulam Ahmed | 21* | Not out |
| Ramchand | 15 | b Ramadhin |
| CD Gopinath | 8* | Not out |
| Others | 11 | |
| Total | 217/6 |
Match Drawn
Highlights of the Match
- Everton Weekes scored a majestic 195, dominating India’s attack.
- Frank Worrell supported with 108, building a massive West Indies first-innings total.
- India’s fighting resistance came through Hazare (83), Umrigar (69), and Mankad (43).
- Sonny Ramadhin’s 4/95 in India’s first innings was the key bowling performance.
- India survived the final day to secure a hard-earned draw in Caribbean conditions.
- Sabina Park witnessed a Test full of resilience, class, and batting brilliance from both sides.