In July 1936, the Indian cricket team, led by the charismatic Maharajkumar of Vizianagram (popularly known as “Vizzy”), took the field at Old Trafford, Manchester, for the third and final Test of the England tour. Having suffered defeats in the previous two matches, the visitors were determined to finish the series with pride. Against an accomplished English side captained by Gubby Allen, India produced one of their most resolute performances on foreign soil, fighting through four days to earn a memorable draw, their first-ever Test draw on English soil.
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Match | England vs. India |
| Dates | 25–28 July 1936 |
| Venue | Old Trafford, Manchester |
| Toss | England won the toss and elected to bat |
| Result | Match Drawn |
| Match Format | 4-day Test Match |
| Umpires | F. Chester & A. A. Foster |
| Series Result | England won the 3-match series 2–0 |
| Significance | India’s first Test draw on English soil |
Team Lineups
| India (Playing XI) | England (Playing XI) |
|---|---|
| Maharajkumar of Vizianagram (Captain) | Gubby Allen (Captain) |
| Vijay Merchant | Cyril Walters |
| Mushtaq Ali | Stan Worthington |
| Lala Amarnath | Wally Hammond |
| C. K. Nayudu | Joe Hardstaff Jr. |
| Dilawar Hussain (Wicket-keeper) | Eddie Paynter |
| Amar Singh | Maurice Leyland |
| – | Leslie Ames (Wicket-keeper) |
| Lall Singh | Hedley Verity |
| Mohammad Nissar | Bill Voce |
| M. J. Gopalan | Ken Farnes |
England 1st Innings – 571/8 declared
England’s top order made full use of good batting conditions. Wally Hammond and Maurice Leyland piled up big centuries, frustrating the Indian bowlers. Their 217-run stand laid the foundation for a massive total. Amar Singh bowled tirelessly, taking 3 wickets to prevent further damage.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Cyril Walters | 78 | b Amar Singh |
| Stan Worthington | 34 | b Nissar |
| Wally Hammond | 167 | c Dilawar Hussain b Nayudu |
| Joe Hardstaff Jr. | 40 | c Merchant b Amar Singh |
| Eddie Paynter | 9 | b Amar Singh |
| Maurice Leyland | 154 | c Hussain b Gopalan |
| Leslie Ames (wk) | 38 | not out |
| Gubby Allen (c) | 23 | c Nayudu b Nissar |
| Hedley Verity | 6 | not out |
| Bill Voce | – | did not bat |
| Ken Farnes | – | did not bat |
| Extras | 22 | – |
| Total | 571/8 declared | (167 overs) |
India 1st Innings – 203 all out
India’s reply lacked the consistency needed to counter England’s powerful bowling attack. Despite promising starts, the batsmen fell to the guile of left-arm spinner Hedley Verity (5/66). Vijay Merchant’s classy 52 and Lala Amarnath’s fighting 44 stood out.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Mushtaq Ali | 16 | b Verity |
| Vijay Merchant | 52 | c Ames b Verity |
| Lala Amarnath | 44 | b Voce |
| C. K. Nayudu | 17 | c Paynter b Verity |
| Maharajkumar of Vizianagram (c) | 9 | b Farnes |
| Dilawar Hussain (wk) | 31 | c Hammond b Verity |
| Amar Singh | 12 | b Voce |
| Gopalan | 6 | b Verity |
| Nissar | 5 | b Voce |
| Lall Singh | 4 | b Farnes |
| – | – | – |
| Extras | 7 | – |
| Total | 203 all out | (89.4 overs) |
India 2nd Innings – 390/5 (Match Drawn)
Following on 368 runs behind, India produced one of the most spirited batting displays of the decade. Vijay Merchant (114) and Mushtaq Ali (112) stitched together a record 203-run stand for the second wicket. Their composure and elegant strokeplay earned India a historic draw.
Lala Amarnath and Amar Singh added an unbroken 65-run stand, closing the match safely.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Mushtaq Ali | 112 | c Ames b Allen |
| Vijay Merchant | 114 | c Leyland b Verity |
| Lala Amarnath | 40* | not out |
| C. K. Nayudu | 32 | c Paynter b Verity |
| Dilawar Hussain (wk) | 26 | b Farnes |
| Amar Singh | 29* | not out |
| Maharajkumar of Vizianagram (c) | – | did not bat |
| Gopalan | – | did not bat |
| Nissar | – | did not bat |
| Lall Singh | – | did not bat |
| Extras | 37 | – |
| Total | 390/5 (Match Drawn) | (150 overs) |
Highlights of the Match
- India’s first-ever Test draw on English soil marked a new era of competitiveness.
- Vijay Merchant (114) and Mushtaq Ali (112) scripted India’s first pair of overseas Test centuries in the same innings.
- Their 203-run stand for the second wicket was one of the earliest major partnerships in Indian Test history.
- Amar Singh again proved his worth with both bat and ball, contributing vital runs in the second innings.
- England’s Wally Hammond (167) and Maurice Leyland (154) dominated the first innings, but India’s defiance stole the spotlight.
- The draw won praise in the British press for India’s “spirited and cultured cricket.”
