As India play their 500th Test match against New Zealand, it is certainly unthinkable to assume that none of the Test matches have had something memorable. Since 1932, India has crossed several thresholds many most certainly did not expect them to do.

With the Indians looking to get back to winning ways as well as become the world number one Test team in the world, it seems clear that history has a massive role to play in the same. Although there are many wins in the 499 matches played, there are a few that have caught the eye of many watching.

Having occupied the world number 1 ranking in Test matches in the past, we take a quick look at some of the most memorable Test matches the Indians have been involved in the past.

<strong>1. England v India, 3rd Test 1971, The Oval – India won by 4 wickets</strong>

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/09/Indias-test-series.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-86073"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-86073" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Indias-test-series.jpg" alt="Australia v India 1971 Test " width="600" height="441" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-86073" class="wp-caption-text">24th August 1971: The ceremony following India&#8217;s test series victory at the Oval. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images)</figcaption>

Although the Indians had played Test cricket for the better part of 40 years at the time, they became a force to reckon with only in 1971 under the charismatic leadership of Ajit Wadekar. Till the time, whenever India had played against their former masters, they had been steamrolled quite comprehensively. However, under Wadekar, they gained an identity of being a force of reckoning with.

Having drawn the first two Tests, India and England faced each other in the third and final Test of the series at The Oval. While India had their gold mine in their spin attack with their spin trio of Bedi, Chandrashekar, and Venkatraghavan, the home side also boasted of some fantastic players. Brian Luckhurst, Ray Illingworth, Keith Fletcher, Allan Knot, and Basil D’Oliveira are a few star names on that list.

Of the spinners, Bhagwat Chandrashekar picked up fantastic figures in the second innings of 6/38. 15 wickets of the match fell to the spinners on a wicket regarded as a pacer’s wicket. Having been set 174 runs to win, Ajit Wadekar smashed a characteristic 45 while wicketkeeper-batsman Farokh Engineer hit the winnings runs. The picture of Engineer being garlanded by the Indian faithful at The Oval is a prominent part of Indian folklore.

<strong>2. India v Australia, 1st Test 1986, M Chidambaram Stadium – Test tied</strong>

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/08/Vikramraju.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-81834"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-81834" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Vikramraju.jpg" alt="(Photo Source: Google)" width="640" height="360" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-81834" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo Source: Google)</figcaption>

The backdrop of the 1st Test at Chepauk between Allan Border’s Australia and Kapil Dev’s India was somewhat of an open-shut case. While the Indians were on top of the world at the time, the Aussies were barely saving face en route to their resurrection. Things came to a halt for both teams in the stifling heat of Madras.

The Aussies began well when Dean Jones beat the head and smashed his way to 210 before collapsing from dehydration. David Boon (122) and skipper Allan Border (106) ensured that the Aussies reached a massive 574 runs. in response, it was the brilliance of skipper Kapil Dev who smashed 119 ensuring that the Indians did not follow-on.

Border set the Indians 347 not taking into account the threat Sunil Gavaskar carried. Needless to say, the Indians came to within one run of victory only for Maninder Singh to be adjudged leg-before by the infamous Vikramraju. The story has been brought up many a time by parties from both sides ensuring that this was the second Tied Test.

<h5><strong>Also read- <a href="http://www.crictracker.com/opinion-much-vikramraju-s-index-finger-change-cricket/" target="_blank">How much did Vikramraju ‘s index finger change cricket?</a></strong></h5>

<strong>3. India v Australia, 2nd Test 2001, Eden Gardens, Kolkata – India won by 171 runs</strong>

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/09/VVS-Laxman-Rahul-Dravid-India-v-Australia-2001-Kolkata.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-30771"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-30771" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/VVS-Laxman-Rahul-Dravid-India-v-Australia-2001-Kolkata.jpg" alt="VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid" width="594" height="436" sizes="(max-width: 594px) 100vw, 594px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-30771" class="wp-caption-text">VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid. (© ARKO DATTA/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption>

In 2001, the backdrop was a supremely strong and ruthless Australian side playing against an Indian team finding their feet in the world. If not to prove their point, the Indians were thrashed out of sight in the first Test at Mumbai, adding insult to the injury the Indians faced in Australia under Sachin Tendulkar in 1999.

While there was political unrest in Kashmir and Aksai Chin (China Border), the Indians awaited for their crisis to be lifted. Little did they know that it would be lifted by VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid. The start of the match saw Harbhajan Singh spin the Aussies into a web when he claimed a hat-trick. However, this was not enough when the Indians’ worst fears were confirmed and they were blasted out for 171 and subsequently made to follow-on.

The second innings saw the Indians amass 657 runs including a mammoth 281 from Laxman and a wonderfully compiled 180 from Rahul Dravid, setting a target of 384 for Australia. Harbhajan Singh picked up figures of 6/73 and completing 13 wickets in the match as well as an impressive 171-run win. This impressive turnaround sparked confidence in Indian cricket.

<strong>4. Australia v India, 2nd Test 2003, Adelaide Oval – India won by 6 wickets</strong>

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/09/Australian-captain-Steve-Waugh.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-86072"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-86072" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Australian-captain-Steve-Waugh.jpg" alt="Australian captain Steve Waugh " width="600" height="428" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-86072" class="wp-caption-text">ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA: Dejected Australian captain Steve Waugh (3/L) leaves the Adelaide Oval for the last time after being dismissed by India. (Photo credit WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption>

Reaching the final of the 2003 World Cup in South Africa saw the Indians stake their place in the cricketing world as somewhat of a superpower. However, at the time, Australia was the best of the best. They had the strongest team one had seen in years. Yet, there was one Indian willing to stand up to the baptism.

Since the early 2000s, Rahul Dravid had flirted with the Indian captaincy. With Sachin Tendulkar out of the way, Ganguly’s deputy was Dravid. The latter chimed into the role with relative ease with the responsibility not eluding him the least bit. At 89/4 in the first innings at Adelaide, the Indians seemed somewhat resigned to a loss. However, as the Aussies have done in the past, they failed to take into account the Dravid-Laxman threat.

Apart from a massive 233 in the first innings, Dravid followed it up with a massive 72 in the second innings and also went on to smash the winning runs as India claimed an important win under trying circumstances.

<strong>5. England v India, 2nd Test 2014, Lords – India won by 95 runs</strong>

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/09/The-Indian-team-celebrate.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-86071"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-86071" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/The-Indian-team-celebrate.jpg" alt="England v India Lords Test" width="600" height="461" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-86071" class="wp-caption-text">The Indian team celebrate after winning the match by 95 runs on the fifth day of the second cricket Test match between England and India at Lord&#8217;s cricket ground in London, on July 21, 2014. (Photo credit IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption>

Shortly after the 2011 World Cup, India had traveled to England and was handed a whitewash. At Lord’s in 2014, the Indians pulled-off what was perhaps one of the few occasions that saw more than one player pull the strings. Having been asked to bat on a perfectly green wicket, Ajinkya Rahane was the only one to impress with a ton.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar succeeded in keeping the pressure on the England batsmen with 6/82. Having set a target of 318 for England to chase, it came down to the final session for Ishant Sharma to finally come of age of sorts.

With Jadeja and Shami ensuring that the Indians had the early breakthroughs, Ishant Sharma bombarded the Brits with a barrage of short-pitch deliveries in the final session of the final day’s play. Needless to say, his figures of 7/74 went up on the Lord’s honors board when he was instrumental in bowling out the Brits.

<strong>6. Australia v India, 3rd Test 2008, Perth – India won by 72 runs</strong>

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/09/Australia-v-India-Perth.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-86070"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-86070" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Australia-v-India-Perth.jpg" alt="Anil Kumble" width="600" height="433" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-86070" class="wp-caption-text">India&#8217;s captain Anil Kumble (R) celebrates Australia&#8217;s last wicket of Shaun Tait with teammates during day four of the third Test match between India and Australia at the WACA stadium in Perth, 19 January 2008. India once again halted a record Australian winning streak with a famous 72-run victory in the third Test against Australia. (Photo credit PRAKASH SINGH/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption>

The backdrop of the third Test match at Perth saw the Indians threatening to pull out of the tour courtesy of some horrific umpiring in the previous Test at Sydney. The fact that the Indians pulled-off a win in the match itself was something impressive in itself.

Playing on the fastest wicket in the world, the Indians began their journey back to the top of the world with some fantastic cricket. Rahul Dravid came to the fore with some phenomenal batting in both innings while RP Singh, Irfan Pathan, and Ishant Sharma also came to the fore with some outstanding bowling.

Chasing a target in excess of 400 runs was always going to be difficult on a wicket that was offering pace and swing for bowlers. Thus, in the face of adversity, the Indians claimed an impressive 72-run win, something that salvaged some pride in a controversial series.

<h5><strong>Also read- <a href="http://www.crictracker.com/biopics-will-inspire-people-something-country-suresh-raina/" target="_blank">Biopics will inspire people to do something for their country: Suresh Raina</a></strong></h5>

<p>As India play their 500th Test match against New Zealand, it is certainly unthinkable to assume that none of the Test matches have had something memorable. Since 1932, India has crossed several thresholds many most certainly did not expect them to do.</p>
<p>With the Indians looking to get back to winning ways as well as become the world number one Test team in the world, it seems clear that history has a massive role to play in the same. Although there are many wins in the 499 matches played, there are a few that have caught the eye of many watching.</p>
<p>Having occupied the world number 1 ranking in Test matches in the past, we take a quick look at some of the most memorable Test matches the Indians have been involved in the past.</p>
<h4><strong>1. England v India, 3rd Test 1971, The Oval – India won by 4 wickets</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_86073" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-86073" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/09/Indias-test-series.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-86073"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-86073" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Indias-test-series.jpg" alt="Australia v India 1971 Test " width="600" height="441" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-86073" class="wp-caption-text">24th August 1971: The ceremony following India’s test series victory at the Oval. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Although the Indians had played Test cricket for the better part of 40 years at the time, they became a force to reckon with only in 1971 under the charismatic leadership of Ajit Wadekar. Till the time, whenever India had played against their former masters, they had been steamrolled quite comprehensively. However, under Wadekar, they gained an identity of being a force of reckoning with.</p>
<p>Having drawn the first two Tests, India and England faced each other in the third and final Test of the series at The Oval. While India had their gold mine in their spin attack with their spin trio of Bedi, Chandrashekar, and Venkatraghavan, the home side also boasted of some fantastic players. Brian Luckhurst, Ray Illingworth, Keith Fletcher, Allan Knot, and Basil D’Oliveira are a few star names on that list.</p>
<p>Of the spinners, Bhagwat Chandrashekar picked up fantastic figures in the second innings of 6/38. 15 wickets of the match fell to the spinners on a wicket regarded as a pacer’s wicket. Having been set 174 runs to win, Ajit Wadekar smashed a characteristic 45 while wicketkeeper-batsman Farokh Engineer hit the winnings runs. The picture of Engineer being garlanded by the Indian faithful at The Oval is a prominent part of Indian folklore.</p>
<p></p>
<h4><strong>2. India v Australia, 1st Test 1986, M Chidambaram Stadium – Test tied</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_81834" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-81834" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/08/Vikramraju.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-81834"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-81834" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Vikramraju.jpg" alt="(Photo Source: Google)" width="640" height="360" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-81834" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo Source: Google)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The backdrop of the 1st Test at Chepauk between Allan Border’s Australia and Kapil Dev’s India was somewhat of an open-shut case. While the Indians were on top of the world at the time, the Aussies were barely saving face en route to their resurrection. Things came to a halt for both teams in the stifling heat of Madras.</p>
<p>The Aussies began well when Dean Jones beat the head and smashed his way to 210 before collapsing from dehydration. David Boon (122) and skipper Allan Border (106) ensured that the Aussies reached a massive 574 runs. in response, it was the brilliance of skipper Kapil Dev who smashed 119 ensuring that the Indians did not follow-on.</p>
<p>Border set the Indians 347 not taking into account the threat Sunil Gavaskar carried. Needless to say, the Indians came to within one run of victory only for Maninder Singh to be adjudged leg-before by the infamous Vikramraju. The story has been brought up many a time by parties from both sides ensuring that this was the second Tied Test.</p>
<blockquote class="td_quote_box td_box_center">
<h5><strong>Also read- <a href="http://www.crictracker.com/opinion-much-vikramraju-s-index-finger-change-cricket/" target="_blank">How much did Vikramraju ‘s index finger change cricket?</a></strong></h5>
</blockquote>
<h4></h4>
<h4><strong>3. India v Australia, 2nd Test 2001, Eden Gardens, Kolkata – India won by 171 runs</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_30771" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30771" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/09/VVS-Laxman-Rahul-Dravid-India-v-Australia-2001-Kolkata.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-30771"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-30771" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/VVS-Laxman-Rahul-Dravid-India-v-Australia-2001-Kolkata.jpg" alt="VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid" width="594" height="436" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-30771" class="wp-caption-text">VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid. (© ARKO DATTA/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>In 2001, the backdrop was a supremely strong and ruthless Australian side playing against an Indian team finding their feet in the world. If not to prove their point, the Indians were thrashed out of sight in the first Test at Mumbai, adding insult to the injury the Indians faced in Australia under Sachin Tendulkar in 1999.</p>
<p>While there was political unrest in Kashmir and Aksai Chin (China Border), the Indians awaited for their crisis to be lifted. Little did they know that it would be lifted by VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid. The start of the match saw Harbhajan Singh spin the Aussies into a web when he claimed a hat-trick. However, this was not enough when the Indians’ worst fears were confirmed and they were blasted out for 171 and subsequently made to follow-on.</p>
<p>The second innings saw the Indians amass 657 runs including a mammoth 281 from Laxman and a wonderfully compiled 180 from Rahul Dravid, setting a target of 384 for Australia. Harbhajan Singh picked up figures of 6/73 and completing 13 wickets in the match as well as an impressive 171-run win. This impressive turnaround sparked confidence in Indian cricket.</p>
<h4><strong></strong></h4>
<h4><strong>4. Australia v India, 2nd Test 2003, Adelaide Oval – India won by 6 wickets</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_86072" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-86072" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/09/Australian-captain-Steve-Waugh.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-86072"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-86072" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Australian-captain-Steve-Waugh.jpg" alt="Australian captain Steve Waugh " width="600" height="428" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-86072" class="wp-caption-text">ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA: Dejected Australian captain Steve Waugh (3/L) leaves the Adelaide Oval for the last time after being dismissed by India. (Photo credit WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Reaching the final of the 2003 World Cup in South Africa saw the Indians stake their place in the cricketing world as somewhat of a superpower. However, at the time, Australia was the best of the best. They had the strongest team one had seen in years. Yet, there was one Indian willing to stand up to the baptism.</p>
<p>Since the early 2000s, Rahul Dravid had flirted with the Indian captaincy. With Sachin Tendulkar out of the way, Ganguly’s deputy was Dravid. The latter chimed into the role with relative ease with the responsibility not eluding him the least bit. At 89/4 in the first innings at Adelaide, the Indians seemed somewhat resigned to a loss. However, as the Aussies have done in the past, they failed to take into account the Dravid-Laxman threat.</p>
<p>Apart from a massive 233 in the first innings, Dravid followed it up with a massive 72 in the second innings and also went on to smash the winning runs as India claimed an important win under trying circumstances.</p>
<h4></h4>
<h4><strong>5. England v India, 2nd Test 2014, Lords – India won by 95 runs</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_86071" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-86071" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/09/The-Indian-team-celebrate.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-86071"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-86071" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/The-Indian-team-celebrate.jpg" alt="England v India Lords Test" width="600" height="461" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-86071" class="wp-caption-text">The Indian team celebrate after winning the match by 95 runs on the fifth day of the second cricket Test match between England and India at Lord’s cricket ground in London, on July 21, 2014. (Photo credit IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Shortly after the 2011 World Cup, India had traveled to England and was handed a whitewash. At Lord’s in 2014, the Indians pulled-off what was perhaps one of the few occasions that saw more than one player pull the strings. Having been asked to bat on a perfectly green wicket, Ajinkya Rahane was the only one to impress with a ton.</p>
<p>Bhuvneshwar Kumar succeeded in keeping the pressure on the England batsmen with 6/82. Having set a target of 318 for England to chase, it came down to the final session for Ishant Sharma to finally come of age of sorts.</p>
<p>With Jadeja and Shami ensuring that the Indians had the early breakthroughs, Ishant Sharma bombarded the Brits with a barrage of short-pitch deliveries in the final session of the final day’s play. Needless to say, his figures of 7/74 went up on the Lord’s honors board when he was instrumental in bowling out the Brits.</p>
<p></p>
<h4><strong>6. Australia v India, 3rd Test 2008, Perth – India won by 72 runs</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_86070" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-86070" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/09/Australia-v-India-Perth.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-86070"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-86070" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Australia-v-India-Perth.jpg" alt="Anil Kumble" width="600" height="433" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-86070" class="wp-caption-text">India’s captain Anil Kumble (R) celebrates Australia’s last wicket of Shaun Tait with teammates during day four of the third Test match between India and Australia at the WACA stadium in Perth, 19 January 2008. India once again halted a record Australian winning streak with a famous 72-run victory in the third Test against Australia. (Photo credit PRAKASH SINGH/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The backdrop of the third Test match at Perth saw the Indians threatening to pull out of the tour courtesy of some horrific umpiring in the previous Test at Sydney. The fact that the Indians pulled-off a win in the match itself was something impressive in itself.</p>
<p>Playing on the fastest wicket in the world, the Indians began their journey back to the top of the world with some fantastic cricket. Rahul Dravid came to the fore with some phenomenal batting in both innings while RP Singh, Irfan Pathan, and Ishant Sharma also came to the fore with some outstanding bowling.</p>
<p>Chasing a target in excess of 400 runs was always going to be difficult on a wicket that was offering pace and swing for bowlers. Thus, in the face of adversity, the Indians claimed an impressive 72-run win, something that salvaged some pride in a controversial series.</p>
<blockquote class="td_quote_box td_box_center">
<h5><strong>Also read- <a href="http://www.crictracker.com/biopics-will-inspire-people-something-country-suresh-raina/" target="_blank">Biopics will inspire people to do something for their country: Suresh Raina</a></strong></h5>
</blockquote>

<p>As India play their 500th Test match against New Zealand, it is certainly unthinkable to assume that none of the Test matches have had something memorable. Since 1932, India has crossed several thresholds many most certainly did not expect them to do.</p>
<p>With the Indians looking to get back to winning ways as well as become the world number one Test team in the world, it seems clear that history has a massive role to play in the same. Although there are many wins in the 499 matches played, there are a few that have caught the eye of many watching.</p>
<p>Having occupied the world number 1 ranking in Test matches in the past, we take a quick look at some of the most memorable Test matches the Indians have been involved in the past.</p>
<h4><strong>1. England v India, 3rd Test 1971, The Oval – India won by 4 wickets</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_86073" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-86073" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/09/Indias-test-series.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-86073"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-86073" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Indias-test-series.jpg" alt="Australia v India 1971 Test " width="600" height="441" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-86073" class="wp-caption-text">24th August 1971: The ceremony following India&#8217;s test series victory at the Oval. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Although the Indians had played Test cricket for the better part of 40 years at the time, they became a force to reckon with only in 1971 under the charismatic leadership of Ajit Wadekar. Till the time, whenever India had played against their former masters, they had been steamrolled quite comprehensively. However, under Wadekar, they gained an identity of being a force of reckoning with.</p>
<p>Having drawn the first two Tests, India and England faced each other in the third and final Test of the series at The Oval. While India had their gold mine in their spin attack with their spin trio of Bedi, Chandrashekar, and Venkatraghavan, the home side also boasted of some fantastic players. Brian Luckhurst, Ray Illingworth, Keith Fletcher, Allan Knot, and Basil D’Oliveira are a few star names on that list.</p>
<p>Of the spinners, Bhagwat Chandrashekar picked up fantastic figures in the second innings of 6/38. 15 wickets of the match fell to the spinners on a wicket regarded as a pacer’s wicket. Having been set 174 runs to win, Ajit Wadekar smashed a characteristic 45 while wicketkeeper-batsman Farokh Engineer hit the winnings runs. The picture of Engineer being garlanded by the Indian faithful at The Oval is a prominent part of Indian folklore.</p>
<p></p>
<h4><strong>2. India v Australia, 1st Test 1986, M Chidambaram Stadium – Test tied</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_81834" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-81834" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/08/Vikramraju.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-81834"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-81834" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Vikramraju.jpg" alt="(Photo Source: Google)" width="640" height="360" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-81834" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo Source: Google)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The backdrop of the 1st Test at Chepauk between Allan Border’s Australia and Kapil Dev’s India was somewhat of an open-shut case. While the Indians were on top of the world at the time, the Aussies were barely saving face en route to their resurrection. Things came to a halt for both teams in the stifling heat of Madras.</p>
<p>The Aussies began well when Dean Jones beat the head and smashed his way to 210 before collapsing from dehydration. David Boon (122) and skipper Allan Border (106) ensured that the Aussies reached a massive 574 runs. in response, it was the brilliance of skipper Kapil Dev who smashed 119 ensuring that the Indians did not follow-on.</p>
<p>Border set the Indians 347 not taking into account the threat Sunil Gavaskar carried. Needless to say, the Indians came to within one run of victory only for Maninder Singh to be adjudged leg-before by the infamous Vikramraju. The story has been brought up many a time by parties from both sides ensuring that this was the second Tied Test.</p>
<blockquote class="td_quote_box td_box_center">
<h5><strong>Also read- <a href="http://www.crictracker.com/opinion-much-vikramraju-s-index-finger-change-cricket/" target="_blank">How much did Vikramraju ‘s index finger change cricket?</a></strong></h5>
</blockquote>
<h4></h4>
<h4><strong>3. India v Australia, 2nd Test 2001, Eden Gardens, Kolkata – India won by 171 runs</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_30771" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30771" style="width: 594px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/09/VVS-Laxman-Rahul-Dravid-India-v-Australia-2001-Kolkata.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-30771"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-30771" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/VVS-Laxman-Rahul-Dravid-India-v-Australia-2001-Kolkata.jpg" alt="VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid" width="594" height="436" sizes="(max-width: 594px) 100vw, 594px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-30771" class="wp-caption-text">VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid. (© ARKO DATTA/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>In 2001, the backdrop was a supremely strong and ruthless Australian side playing against an Indian team finding their feet in the world. If not to prove their point, the Indians were thrashed out of sight in the first Test at Mumbai, adding insult to the injury the Indians faced in Australia under Sachin Tendulkar in 1999.</p>
<p>While there was political unrest in Kashmir and Aksai Chin (China Border), the Indians awaited for their crisis to be lifted. Little did they know that it would be lifted by VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid. The start of the match saw Harbhajan Singh spin the Aussies into a web when he claimed a hat-trick. However, this was not enough when the Indians’ worst fears were confirmed and they were blasted out for 171 and subsequently made to follow-on.</p>
<p>The second innings saw the Indians amass 657 runs including a mammoth 281 from Laxman and a wonderfully compiled 180 from Rahul Dravid, setting a target of 384 for Australia. Harbhajan Singh picked up figures of 6/73 and completing 13 wickets in the match as well as an impressive 171-run win. This impressive turnaround sparked confidence in Indian cricket.</p>
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<h4><strong>4. Australia v India, 2nd Test 2003, Adelaide Oval – India won by 6 wickets</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_86072" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-86072" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/09/Australian-captain-Steve-Waugh.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-86072"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-86072" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Australian-captain-Steve-Waugh.jpg" alt="Australian captain Steve Waugh " width="600" height="428" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-86072" class="wp-caption-text">ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA: Dejected Australian captain Steve Waugh (3/L) leaves the Adelaide Oval for the last time after being dismissed by India. (Photo credit WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Reaching the final of the 2003 World Cup in South Africa saw the Indians stake their place in the cricketing world as somewhat of a superpower. However, at the time, Australia was the best of the best. They had the strongest team one had seen in years. Yet, there was one Indian willing to stand up to the baptism.</p>
<p>Since the early 2000s, Rahul Dravid had flirted with the Indian captaincy. With Sachin Tendulkar out of the way, Ganguly’s deputy was Dravid. The latter chimed into the role with relative ease with the responsibility not eluding him the least bit. At 89/4 in the first innings at Adelaide, the Indians seemed somewhat resigned to a loss. However, as the Aussies have done in the past, they failed to take into account the Dravid-Laxman threat.</p>
<p>Apart from a massive 233 in the first innings, Dravid followed it up with a massive 72 in the second innings and also went on to smash the winning runs as India claimed an important win under trying circumstances.</p>
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<h4><strong>5. England v India, 2nd Test 2014, Lords – India won by 95 runs</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_86071" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-86071" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/09/The-Indian-team-celebrate.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-86071"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-86071" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/The-Indian-team-celebrate.jpg" alt="England v India Lords Test" width="600" height="461" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-86071" class="wp-caption-text">The Indian team celebrate after winning the match by 95 runs on the fifth day of the second cricket Test match between England and India at Lord&#8217;s cricket ground in London, on July 21, 2014. (Photo credit IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Shortly after the 2011 World Cup, India had traveled to England and was handed a whitewash. At Lord’s in 2014, the Indians pulled-off what was perhaps one of the few occasions that saw more than one player pull the strings. Having been asked to bat on a perfectly green wicket, Ajinkya Rahane was the only one to impress with a ton.</p>
<p>Bhuvneshwar Kumar succeeded in keeping the pressure on the England batsmen with 6/82. Having set a target of 318 for England to chase, it came down to the final session for Ishant Sharma to finally come of age of sorts.</p>
<p>With Jadeja and Shami ensuring that the Indians had the early breakthroughs, Ishant Sharma bombarded the Brits with a barrage of short-pitch deliveries in the final session of the final day’s play. Needless to say, his figures of 7/74 went up on the Lord’s honors board when he was instrumental in bowling out the Brits.</p>
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<h4><strong>6. Australia v India, 3rd Test 2008, Perth – India won by 72 runs</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_86070" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-86070" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/09/Australia-v-India-Perth.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-86070"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-86070" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Australia-v-India-Perth.jpg" alt="Anil Kumble" width="600" height="433" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-86070" class="wp-caption-text">India&#8217;s captain Anil Kumble (R) celebrates Australia&#8217;s last wicket of Shaun Tait with teammates during day four of the third Test match between India and Australia at the WACA stadium in Perth, 19 January 2008. India once again halted a record Australian winning streak with a famous 72-run victory in the third Test against Australia. (Photo credit PRAKASH SINGH/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The backdrop of the third Test match at Perth saw the Indians threatening to pull out of the tour courtesy of some horrific umpiring in the previous Test at Sydney. The fact that the Indians pulled-off a win in the match itself was something impressive in itself.</p>
<p>Playing on the fastest wicket in the world, the Indians began their journey back to the top of the world with some fantastic cricket. Rahul Dravid came to the fore with some phenomenal batting in both innings while RP Singh, Irfan Pathan, and Ishant Sharma also came to the fore with some outstanding bowling.</p>
<p>Chasing a target in excess of 400 runs was always going to be difficult on a wicket that was offering pace and swing for bowlers. Thus, in the face of adversity, the Indians claimed an impressive 72-run win, something that salvaged some pride in a controversial series.</p>
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<h5><strong>Also read- <a href="http://www.crictracker.com/biopics-will-inspire-people-something-country-suresh-raina/" target="_blank">Biopics will inspire people to do something for their country: Suresh Raina</a></strong></h5>
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Six most memorable India Test matches in history

As India play their 500th Test match against New Zealand, it is certainly unthinkable to assume that none of the Test matches have had something memorable..

Six most memorable India Test matches in history

6. Australia v India, 3rd Test 2008, Perth – India won by 72 runs

Also read- Biopics will inspire people to do something for their country: Suresh Raina