LONDON: It all started here at the Oval as far as India's first Test and series win on the English soil is concerned. Almost 54 years ago, Ajit Wadekar and Co managed to achieve what no other Indian team could in their previous 22 attempts, dating back to 1932.
After two draws at Lord's and Old Trafford, the Wadekar-led team managed their first win on English soil.
The occasion was momentous Indian fans even managed to sneak in a baby elephant named Bella on the final day of the match. Incidentally, it was Ganesh Chaturthi back home and the Indian team and their fans celebrated the historic moment with the baby elephant.
The Oval might have given India their first taste of victory over England on their home turf but the venue could not be termed lucky for them as they drew the next five and lost the subsequent three matches before winning a contest here. After 50 years, they won a contest again as a Virat Kohli-led side beat the hosts by 157 runs in 2021.
They might have lost the World Test Championship final against Australia in 2023 but their 2021 triumph over England could be a confidence booster for the new-look side being led by Shubman Gill.
No doubt the ongoing series has been tiring for both teams. At times, the series also witnessed a few incidents which only added to the intensity with which the players have competed in the last 45 or more days.
Gill was asked the same and his experience as a captain during such an intense series. "It's been very exciting. And I'm one day before the last Test match. I'm here and I'm very excited. I'm looking forward playing the last Test match. And hopefully win this one. It would be a great achievement for us," he said in the pre-match press conference.
India last won a Test series in England in 2007. With that opportunity lost now, the India captain, especially with a young team at his disposal, still has a chance to draw parity by winning the match and he said it would have been a great achievement if they can do it.
"Very significant (the series for him as a captain. I mean), if you look at the kind of cricket that we have played, sometimes, the scorecard of the series, as in where we are in the series, doesn't determine that. I think every match that we have played, it was very difficult to decide which team is going to win after four days of cricket. If we are able to do that for every match, for four matches, coming outside of India with a relatively young team, I think it is going to be a big achievement for us if we are able to level the series. And the series has been a great learning curve for me," he added.
Come Thursday, Gill and his team will hope they can replicate what two teams from the past - 1971 and 2021 - managed to do at the venue and draw the series.
