- June 20, 2025
The 2025 India vs England Test series is upon us, and with it comes that familiar mix of joy, dread, and nostalgia. But this time it feels different. No Rohit, no Virat, no Ashwin. This series begins a new era under the captaincy of Shubman Gill, and it all starts at Headingley.
Before we embark on this new WTC cycle, let’s pause for a moment. Over the years, England has been impacted by some sublime Indian performances, and few were more impactful than The Wall, Rahul Dravid. These were not knocks; these were monuments. So, if you want context before it starts, this is where the new narrative begins.
Headingley 2002: Dravid Anchors a Historic Win
After Headingley 2002, a benchmark for India’s dominance in England was set. Overcast conditions, yes. Swinging Duke ball, yes. Early wicket? Crazy Indian nature, there was Sehwag for 8. But Rahul Dravid walked in. Never hurried, never flustered, and annoyingly hard to dismiss (sorry bowlers). He then took advantage of that rare opportunity not only to settle himself down but to put together a watershed partnership of 160 runs with Sanjay Bangar, and brought up a scintillating 148 from 307 balls, while being completely reliable for his innings.
It was not sensational, it was not scintillating- but it was functional. Dravid’s innings allowed Tendulkar (193) and Ganguly (128) the luxury of freedom, and India reached 628/8. Now England were under pressure to respond, but were found significantly wanting, leading to an innings and 46-run defeat to India on this occasion. It was not only a win. Dravid did not just in two runs; he built a skyscraper on a pitch littered with landmines.
Oval 1979: Gavaskar’s Forgotten Epic
Sunil Gavaskar did just that in 1979. While it’s not a Dravid-esque innings, it’s good enough to make it worthwhile enough to miss. Gavaskar’s 221 runs off 443 balls came with a combination of technique, temperament, and sheer will. India’s charge ended just a whisker away, stranded at 429/8 with victory peeking through the curtains.
The sheer genius of this innings? Context. India were lost after a terrible first innings, and they were staring down an impossible chase. Gavaskar made it possible. His innings is still one of the greatest ever fourth-innings innings in Test history. For today’s fan, who probably only knows him as a tough-as-nails commentator, this was Gavaskar at his best: cool during pressure, unwavering and unbreakable.
Oval 2011: Dravid vs The World
Fast forward to 2011 – same venue but a different scenario. Morale? Low. Confidence? Lower. But that didn’t stop Rahul Dravid, who scored a classy 146 while the rest of the batting line-up wilfully imploded like a house of cards in a hailstorm. Dravid played martial with poise and purpose and delivered the paying, Indian supporters some fun in a shit tour.
But here’s the kicker: he opened instead of batting three. It is not easy facing James Anderson and Stuart Broad in England. But Dravid looked like he was from another era – an era when toughness was more important than style. The Indians lost the match by an innings, but Dravid’s innings was a masterclass in solitary cricket.
With a young Indian team facing a major challenge against the England cricket side, the pertinent question now is the question of – who is going to step up and score the next great innings in this ongoing saga? Movie?
Let us hope we get to add another tale to this list pretty soon!
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