December 1958 brought West Indies to Indian shores for a highly anticipated Test series. The second match of the tour was played at Green Park Stadium, Kanpur, from December 12 to 17, 1958, and it turned into a showcase of Caribbean power, pace, and class.
Led by the inspirational Gerry Alexander, the West Indies side displayed a perfect blend of explosive batting and fierce fast bowling. India, captained by Hemu Adhikari, fought hard but were eventually overwhelmed by the pace of Wes Hall and the batting artistry of Rohan Kanhai, who delivered one of the greatest innings ever seen on Indian soil.
The match ended in a heavy defeat for India, a loss by 203 runs, but it remains a memorable chapter in Test cricket history.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | India vs. West Indies – 2nd Test |
| Dates | 12–17 December 1958 |
| Venue | Green Park Stadium, Kanpur |
| Toss | India won the toss and elected to field |
| Result | West Indies won by 203 runs |
| Match Format | 5-day Test |
| Umpires | D. R. Rajaram & B. S. Bapat |
| Significance | Rohan Kanhai’s masterclass; Wes Hall’s destruction; India’s major home defeat |
Team Lineups
| India (Playing XI) | West Indies (Playing XI) |
|---|---|
| Hemu Adhikari (c) | Gerry Alexander (c & wk) |
| Pankaj Roy | Conrad Hunte |
| Vijay Manjrekar | Rohan Kanhai |
| Polly Umrigar | Gary Sobers |
| Ramnath Kenny | Basil Butcher |
| Nari Contractor | Clyde Walcott |
| Bapu Nadkarni | Franz Alexander |
| Subhash Gupte | Wes Hall |
| Surendranath | Roy Gilchrist |
| A. G. Kripal Singh | Sonny Ramadhin |
| Naren Tamhane (wk) | Tom Dewdney |
West Indies 1st Innings – 459 all out
The West Indies began in majestic fashion. Rohan Kanhai (256) produced a monumental double-century, a blend of technique, aggression, and supreme confidence. His strokeplay dominated the Indian bowlers throughout the innings.
Support came from Gary Sobers (58) and Basil Butcher (54) as West Indies marched to an imposing 459.
India’s spinners, especially Subhash Gupte (4/123), bowled tirelessly but found little assistance.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Conrad Hunte | 41 | c Contractor b Surendranath |
| Rohan Kanhai | 256 | c Roy b Gupte |
| Gary Sobers | 58 | lbw Gupte |
| Basil Butcher | 54 | c Tamhane b Nadkarni |
| Clyde Walcott | 12 | c Manjrekar b Gupte |
| Franz Alexander | 18 | b Nadkarni |
| Gerry Alexander (wk & c) | 7 | c Roy b Gupte |
| Wes Hall | 3 | b Surendranath |
| Roy Gilchrist | 2 | c Adhikari b Kripal Singh |
| Sonny Ramadhin | 1* | Not out |
| Tom Dewdney | 0 | b Nadkarni |
| Extras | 7 | |
| Total | 459 all out |
India 1st Innings – 222 all out
India started cautiously but the extraordinary pace of Wes Hall (5/60) ripped through the batting order. His steep bounce and raw speed troubled every Indian batsman.
Pankaj Roy (61) and Polly Umrigar (39) offered resistance, but wickets fell regularly. Despite some lower-order contributions, India were restricted to 222, conceding a massive lead of 237 runs.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Pankaj Roy | 61 | c Sobers b Hall |
| N. Contractor | 22 | b Gilchrist |
| Vijay Manjrekar | 18 | b Hall |
| Polly Umrigar | 39 | c Walcott b Dewdney |
| Ramnath Kenny | 10 | b Hall |
| Hemu Adhikari (c) | 15 | b Hall |
| A. G. Kripal Singh | 14 | c Alexander b Gilchrist |
| Bapu Nadkarni | 12 | b Ramadhin |
| Naren Tamhane (wk) | 9 | b Ramadhin |
| Surendranath | 7 | b Hall |
| Subhash Gupte | 5* | Not out |
| Total | 222 all out |
West Indies 2nd Innings – 168/7 declared
With a huge lead in hand, West Indies batted quickly to set a challenging target. Sobers (43) and Butcher (37) played brisk knocks.
India bowled better this time, with Gupte (4/63) once again leading the attack.
West Indies declared at 168/7, setting India a massive target of 406 runs.
India 2nd Innings – 203 all out
Chasing 406, India needed a miracle. Instead, they ran into Wes Hall, again.
Hall (4/93) and Gilchrist (3/47) dismantled the innings with sheer pace.
Only Contractor (62) and Manjrekar (49) showed the fight needed at this level.
India folded for 203, handing West Indies victory by 203 runs, marking one of the most dominant overseas performances by the Caribbean side in the 1950s.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Pankaj Roy | 21 | c Hunte b Gilchrist |
| N. Contractor | 62 | c Walcott b Hall |
| Vijay Manjrekar | 49 | c Butcher b Dewdney |
| Polly Umrigar | 16 | lbw Ramadhin |
| Ramnath Kenny | 11 | b Hall |
| Hemu Adhikari | 10 | c Hunte b Hall |
| A. G. Kripal Singh | 7 | b Gilchrist |
| Bapu Nadkarni | 5 | b Hall |
| Naren Tamhane | 6 | b Ramadhin |
| Surendranath | 9 | b Gilchrist |
| Subhash Gupte | 3* | Not out |
| Total | 203 all out |
West Indies won by 203 runs
Highlights of the Match
- Rohan Kanhai’s magnificent 256, one of the greatest Test innings on Indian soil.
- Wes Hall’s fiery pace produced match figures of 9/153, destroying India twice.
- Sobers’ all-round excellence strengthened the West Indies dominance.
- Gupte’s valiant bowling (8 wickets in the match) stood out for India.
- India faced one of their biggest defeats of the 1950s at home.
- The match reinforced the rise of the West Indies as cricket’s new powerhouse.