ENG v IND: 5 Most thrilling encounters to have ever been played between India and England

Cricketing rivalries are nothing new. From the very onset of the game, a healthy competition and an unwavering urge to come out on top at the end of the match is what has made cricket one of the most loved sports in the world. However, there are certain rivalries that go beyond the sport itself; fiercer and edgier than the average. When India and England take each other on upon the 22 yards, things are bound to heat up a fair bit!

If we were to tap out the source of this stiff competition between the two sides, the fact that India had been a British colony before she attained independence in 1947, has to be a ruling factor. Although not a bitter one, the rivalry stems from a burning desire to prove an individual dominance in the very game that the British invented. As for us, the onlookers, we’re sure to have a special spot for India vs England matches in our hearts as more often than not, they’ve provided us with an opportunity to witness quality cricket from some of the best cricketers in the world.

Starting from Len Hutton, Geoffrey Boycott, Ian Botham, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev to the current young crop of players, cricketing action between England and India has never failed to invoke awe in us. On the eve of the upcoming India Tour of England that fans all over the world are waiting for with bated breath, let’s take a look at the 5 most thrilling encounters to have ever been played between the two sides.

1. India in England, 6th ODI (Kennington Oval, 2007)

The 6th One-Day International match of the India in England Series, 2007 is memorable for more than just a single reason. Having won the toss, the Paul Collingwood-led England team chose to bat first at the Kennington Oval. In spite of two early wickets for Zaheer Khan and Ajit Agarkar, it was the scintillating maiden ton from Owais Shah (107*) that helped the hosts pile on a humongous total of 316 runs- a target that seemed unattainable from every angle.

However, it was the Master Blaster who came to the rescue of the visitors. The pair of Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly stitched together a 150-run partnership for the first wicket. Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa chipped in with 47 runs each. But in the end, it was a fast-paced 94-run innings off 81 balls from the bat of Tendulkar, consisting of 16 boundaries and a lone six, that made sure that India got past the finishing line, that too with two balls to spare!