The summer of 1952 marked India’s fourth Test tour of England, a challenging expedition where the visitors faced some of the finest swing and seam bowlers in the world. The second Test of the series, played from June 5 to 9, 1952 at Headingley, Leeds, became a showcase of discipline, English bowling mastery, and India’s determined but ultimately unsuccessful resistance.
Under the leadership of Vijay Hazare, India entered the contest determined to improve upon their performance at Lord’s. England, captained by Donald Carr, fielded a strong lineup featuring star bowlers Fred Trueman, Alec Bedser, and Trevor Bailey, who combined skill, movement, and relentless accuracy on a typical Headingley seam-friendly pitch.
Despite the challenges, Indian batsmen, especially Vijay Hazare, Polly Umrigar, and Pankaj Roy, showed character, but England’s bowling attack proved too powerful as India eventually fell to a 7-wicket defeat.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | England vs India – 2nd Test |
| Dates | 5–9 June 1952 |
| Venue | Headingley, Leeds |
| Toss | England won the toss and sent India to bat |
| Result | England won by 7 wickets |
| Match Format | 5-day Test |
| Series | 1952 India Tour of England |
| Significance | Notable for Fred Trueman’s fiery spell against India |
Team Lineups
| India (Playing XI) | England (Playing XI) |
|---|---|
| Vijay Hazare (c) | Donald Carr (c) |
| Pankaj Roy | Len Hutton |
| Madhav Apte | Peter May |
| Polly Umrigar | Denis Compton |
| Dattu Phadkar | Tom Graveney |
| Vinoo Mankad | Trevor Bailey |
| Gul Mohammad | Alec Bedser |
| Ghulam Ahmed | Fred Trueman |
| Probir Sen (wk) | Godfrey Evans (wk) |
| Ramchand | Jim Laker |
| Ganesh Mhambrey | Eric Hollies |
India 1st Innings – 293 all out
India, sent in to bat under overcast Leeds conditions, fought bravely. Pankaj Roy (71) and Vijay Hazare (56) built a strong platform against tricky movement early on. Later, Polly Umrigar (43) and Phadkar (38) added crucial middle-order runs.
England’s bowlers, especially Fred Trueman (4/86) and Alec Bedser (3/79), kept striking at key moments, preventing India from converting good starts into bigger totals. Still, 293 was a respectable score on a challenging surface.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Pankaj Roy | 71 | c Evans b Bedser |
| Madhav Apte | 16 | b Trueman |
| Vijay Hazare (c) | 56 | c Graveney b Bailey |
| Polly Umrigar | 43 | b Trueman |
| Gul Mohammad | 12 | c May b Bedser |
| Dattu Phadkar | 38 | lbw Trueman |
| Vinoo Mankad | 15 | b Laker |
| Ghulam Ahmed | 7 | c Bailey b Trueman |
| Ramchand | 19 | c Evans b Bedser |
| Probir Sen (wk) | 4 | c Carr b Laker |
| Ganesh Mhambrey | 6* | Not out |
| Total | 293 all out |
England 1st Innings – 334 all out
England replied strongly, powered by Peter May (104) and Tom Graveney (65). Their elegant partnerships blunted the Indian attack. Supporting contributions came from Denis Compton (39) and Trevor Bailey (37).
India’s bowlers worked hard, with Ghulam Ahmed (4/93) and Mankad (3/101) being the standouts. Despite their efforts, England secured a 41-run lead.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Len Hutton | 32 | c Sen b Phadkar |
| Peter May | 104 | lbw Mankad |
| Denis Compton | 39 | c Roy b Ghulam Ahmed |
| Tom Graveney | 65 | c Umrigar b Mankad |
| Donald Carr (c) | 18 | b Ghulam Ahmed |
| Trevor Bailey | 37 | lbw Ghulam Ahmed |
| Godfrey Evans (wk) | 12 | c Hazare b Ramchand |
| Alec Bedser | 6 | b Mankad |
| Fred Trueman | 5 | c Mankad b Ghulam Ahmed |
| Jim Laker | 6 | Not out |
| Eric Hollies | 2 | b Ramchand |
| Total | 334 all out |
India 2nd Innings – 165 all out
Trailing by 41, India needed a strong second innings but faltered under England’s relentless attack. Polly Umrigar (48) tried to rebuild, while Hazare (29) and Apte (21) showed moments of promise.
But Bedser (4/45) and Trueman (3/52) overwhelmed the Indian batting lineup, reducing them to 165, giving England a target of just 125 runs.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Pankaj Roy | 14 | c Evans b Trueman |
| Madhav Apte | 21 | lbw Bedser |
| Vijay Hazare | 29 | c May b Bailey |
| Polly Umrigar | 48 | c Evans b Bedser |
| Gul Mohammad | 9 | b Trueman |
| Dattu Phadkar | 12 | c Hutton b Bedser |
| Vinoo Mankad | 11 | c Bailey b Trueman |
| Ramchand | 8 | b Laker |
| Ghulam Ahmed | 5 | b Bedser |
| Probir Sen | 6 | c Compton b Bailey |
| Ganesh Mhambrey | 2* | Not out |
| Total | 165 all out |
England 2nd Innings – 125/3
Chasing 125, England lost three wickets but remained in control. Len Hutton (38) and Peter May (28)* ensured England reached the target comfortably.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Len Hutton | 38 | c Umrigar b Phadkar |
| Peter May | 28* | Not out |
| Denis Compton | 21 | b Mankad |
| Tom Graveney | 16 | c Hazare b Ghulam Ahmed |
| Donald Carr | 10* | Not out |
| Total | 125/3 | England won by 7 wickets |
England won by 7 wickets
Highlights of the Match
- Fred Trueman’s fiery bowling (7 wickets in the match) troubled India throughout.
- Peter May’s superb 104 stood out as the defining innings of the match.
- India’s promising start with 293 was undone by a disappointing second innings.
- Mankad and Ghulam Ahmed displayed excellent spin control despite challenging conditions.
- England took a decisive 1-0 lead in the series.
- The match highlighted India’s struggle against swinging and seaming conditions in England.