After their return to Test cricket at Lord’s earlier in the summer, India concluded their 1946 tour of England with a determined performance at The Oval, London. The match, played from 17 to 20 August 1946, showcased India’s resilience and growing maturity as a Test-playing nation. Despite facing a strong England side captained by Wally Hammond, the Indians, led once again by Iftikhar Ali Khan, the Nawab of Pataudi Sr., produced a spirited display to earn a commendable draw.
This encounter marked a fitting end to India’s pre-independence cricket era, laying the foundation for the team’s future competitiveness on the world stage.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | England vs. India |
| Dates | 17–20 August 1946 |
| Venue | The Oval, London |
| Toss | England won the toss and elected to bat |
| Result | Match Drawn |
| Match Format | 4-day Test Match |
| Umpires | F. J. Chester & H. B. W. Gwyther |
| Debut/Significance | Final Test of India’s 1946 tour; strong batting revival after Lord’s defeat |
Team Lineups
| India (Playing XI) | England (Playing XI) |
|---|---|
| Nawab of Pataudi Sr. (Captain) | Wally Hammond (Captain) |
| Vijay Merchant | Len Hutton |
| Mushtaq Ali | Cyril Washbrook |
| Vijay Hazare | Denis Compton |
| Rusi Modi | Joe Hardstaff Jr. |
| Lala Amarnath | Norman Yardley |
| Vinoo Mankad | Paul Gibb |
| Dattu Phadkar | Godfrey Evans (Wk) |
| Amir Elahi | Alec Bedser |
| Shute Banerjee | Doug Wright |
| C. S. Nayudu | Bill Voce |
England 1st Innings – 371 all out
Winning the toss, England opted to bat first and built a strong total through disciplined batting. Cyril Washbrook (63), Denis Compton (53), and Joe Hardstaff Jr. (49) all contributed valuable runs. However, it was Norman Yardley’s elegant 99 that stole the show; he fell agonizingly short of a deserved century.
India’s bowling attack, led by Vinoo Mankad (3/98) and Amir Elahi (3/97), bowled tirelessly to restrict England to 371, preventing a larger total on a good batting surface.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Len Hutton | 40 | c Merchant b Elahi |
| Cyril Washbrook | 63 | c Amarnath b Mankad |
| Denis Compton | 53 | c Pataudi b Elahi |
| Wally Hammond (c) | 33 | b Phadkar |
| Joe Hardstaff Jr. | 49 | b Mankad |
| Norman Yardley | 99 | c Hazare b Elahi |
| Paul Gibb | 6 | b Mankad |
| Godfrey Evans (wk) | 5 | c Modi b Mankad |
| Alec Bedser | 4 | c Merchant b Phadkar |
| Doug Wright | 3* | Not out |
| Bill Voce | 8 | b Elahi |
| Extras | 8 | |
| Total | 371 all out (138.4 overs) |
India 1st Innings – 331 all out
In reply, India produced a spirited batting effort. Vijay Merchant continued his brilliant form with a fluent 128, his maiden Test century on English soil an innings full of grace, timing, and patience.
Rusi Modi (57) and Vijay Hazare (44) provided solid support as India matched England’s total stroke for stroke. Despite Alec Bedser’s persistent swing (4/86), the Indian batting displayed resilience that was lacking at Lord’s.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Vijay Merchant | 128 | c Hammond b Bedser |
| Mushtaq Ali | 22 | b Bedser |
| Nawab of Pataudi (c) | 9 | b Voce |
| Vijay Hazare | 44 | c Evans b Bedser |
| Rusi Modi | 57 | b Wright |
| Lala Amarnath | 16 | b Bedser |
| Vinoo Mankad | 25 | c Compton b Wright |
| Dattu Phadkar | 8 | b Wright |
| Amir Elahi | 10 | c Yardley b Voce |
| Shute Banerjee | 5* | Not out |
| C. S. Nayudu | 0 | b Bedser |
| Extras | 7 | |
| Total | 331 all out (127.5 overs) |
England 2nd Innings – 153/5 (Match Drawn)
England began their second innings with a slender lead but soon found the Indian spinners tightening control. Mankad and Elahi bowled superbly, exploiting the wearing surface to trouble even the best of England’s batsmen.
Len Hutton (57) and Washbrook (50) offered resistance, but rain interruptions and steady Indian bowling ensured the match ended in a well-earned draw.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Len Hutton | 57 | b Mankad |
| Cyril Washbrook | 50 | b Elahi |
| Denis Compton | 8 | c Hazare b Mankad |
| Wally Hammond (c) | 11 | b Elahi |
| Joe Hardstaff Jr. | 16* | Not out |
| Norman Yardley | 4* | Not out |
| Extras | 7 | |
| Total | 153/5 (58 overs) | Match Drawn |
Highlights of the Match
- Vijay Merchant’s 128 was a masterpiece of technique and temperament, his first Test century and one of India’s finest innings overseas at that time.
- Vinoo Mankad (5 wickets in the match) and Amir Elahi (5 wickets) demonstrated India’s growing strength in spin bowling.
- Norman Yardley’s 99 highlighted England’s depth, though he narrowly missed a century.
- India’s improved batting and fighting spirit earned them a creditable draw, a stark contrast to the heavy defeat at Lord’s.
- The match was also India’s last Test before independence (1947), a symbolic moment of transition for Indian cricket.
