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&#8217;re sure to have a special spot for India vs England matches in our hearts as more often than not, they&#8217;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, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2018-sunil-gavaskar-sanjay-manjrekar-retained-bcci-playoffs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sunil Gavaskar</strong></a>, 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&#8217;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)

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-261429" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Robin-Uthappa.jpg" alt="Robin Uthappa" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-261429" class="wp-caption-text">Robin Uthappa of India is congratulated after scoring the winning runs. (Photo by Tom Shaw/Getty Images)</figcaption>

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 <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/sachin-tendulkar-awestruck-rafael-nadals-brilliance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sachin Tendulkar</strong></a> 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!

2. India Tour of England, 2nd Test (Lord&#8217;s, 2014)

<img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-25073" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Ishant-Sharma-at-lords.jpg" alt width="640" height="467" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-25073" class="wp-caption-text">LONDON, ENGLAND &#8211; JULY 20: Ishant Sharma of India celebrates dismissing England captain Alastair Cook during day four of 2nd Investec Test match between England and India at Lord&#8217;s Cricket Ground on July 20, 2014 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)</figcaption>

The second Test match of the 2014 India Tour of England was a historic win that Indian fans will never forget. After a drawn first Test at Trent Bridge, the Lord&#8217;s Test saw Ishant Sharma come up with one of the best bowling spells of his career as India broke their infamous 15 Test win-less streak away from home. Put in to bat first by the hosts, the MS Dhoni-led Indian team teetered on the edge, save the gritty century by Ajinkya Rahane that shaped a total of 295 runs in the first innings.

It was Bhuvneshwar Kumar who ripped through the English batting order with 6 wickets to his name. Aided by Gary Ballance&#8217;s 110-run knock, England could muster only a 24-run lead. In reply, the top trio of the Indian team (Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/dale-steyns-spitting-cobra-pin-cheteshwar-pujara/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cheteshwar Pujara</strong></a>) put together 169 runs and England was set a hefty total of 318 runs to chase down. Pacer Ishant Sharma picked up 7 wickets in the 23 overs that he bowled, thus leaving the English side in shambles as India emerged victorious by 95 runs.

3. India Tour of England, Only T20 (Edgbaston, 2014)

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-261427" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/MS-Dhoni-Ambati-Rayudu.jpg" alt="MS Dhoni &amp; Ambati Rayudu" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-261427" class="wp-caption-text">MS Dhoni &amp; Ambati Rayudu. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)</figcaption>

A classic T20 cliffhanger would be an apt way to describe the lone T20 encounter that India and England had in 2014 in India&#8217;s Tour of England. The host team skipper, Eoin Morgan played a gem of an innings as he recorded 71 runs off just 31 deliveries at a whopping strike rate of 229.03. Aided by Alex Hales and Ravi Bopara&#8217;s short stints, England were able to put up a competitive total of 180 runs on the board.

Batting second at Birmingham, India were unable to consolidate of <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/english-football-skipper-harry-kane-reacts-to-virat-kohlis-tweet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Virat Kohli</strong></a>&#8216;s heroics that yielded 66 runs in 41 balls. The rest of the batting floundered under the probing English bowling attack that comprised the likes of Moeen Ali, Steve Finn, Harry Gurney and Chris Woakes. Although MSD tried his level best to keep his side into the game till the very last delivery, some crisp death bowling from Woakes and Gurney ensured that the Indian batting was choked of scoring runs and England eventually won the match deservingly by 3 runs.

4. NatWest Series Final (Lord&#8217;s, 2002)

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-261431" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Natwest-series-final-2002.jpg" alt="Natwest series final 2002" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-261431" class="wp-caption-text">Captain Saurav Ganguly of India with the Natwest series Trophy. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)</figcaption>

Who can ever forget the visuals of Sourav Ganguly waving his jersey like helicopter blades from the Lord&#8217;s balcony? A list chronicling the best of England-India encounters is bound to be incomplete without the iconic NatWest Series Final of 2002 finding its way into it. This was a game that kept everyone clinging to the edge of their seats till the very last moment as India won with just 2 wickets remaining. Batting first, England had scored a gargantuan 325 runs owing to blistering centuries from both Marcus Trescothick and skipper Nasser Hussain.

In reply, openers <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/former-afghanistan-head-coach-lalchand-rajput-reveals-virender-sehwag-of-the-team/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Virender Sehwag</strong></a> (45) and captain Ganguly (60) gave India a solid start. However their dismissal triggered a massive collapse and India kept faltering and losing wickets at regular intervals to a point where England were comfortably in the driver&#8217;s seat to bring the match home. What followed suit was a mind-boggling effort from Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif in the lower-middle order. A boundary off the last delivery of the 49th over and a miscalculated overthrow from England in the final over resulted in a historic Indian victory with 3 balls to spare.

5. India in Ireland, England and Scotland, 2nd Test (Trent Bridge, 2007)

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-261433" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/England-vs-India-Trent-Bridge-Test-2007.jpg" alt="England vs India Trent Bridge Test 2007" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-261433" class="wp-caption-text">Zaheer Khan of India celebrates the wicket of Ian Bell. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)</figcaption>

A match that marked India&#8217;s first Test victory on a turf as celebrated as Trent Bridge, Nottingham is bound to be counted as one of the most thrilling games to have ever taken place between the two nations. The collective brilliance of the Indian batting order coupled with the bowling prowess displayed by the pair of Anil Kumble and Zaheer Khan was crucial in India&#8217;s victory in the game by 7 wickets.

That the Indian first innings saw five 50+ knocks from their major batsmen, including a 91-run innings from Sachin Tendulkar and only two batsmen from the English camp were able to cross the 50-run mark in both their innings combined, is summary enough of how the game progressed. Michael Vaughan was the silver lining of the England batting line-up as he brought up 124 runs from his bat. Feisty pacer, Khan was adjudged the Man of the Match for his aggressive brand of cricket that earned him 9 wickets and helped India clinch the game.

<p>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!</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Starting from Len Hutton, Geoffrey Boycott, Ian Botham, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2018-sunil-gavaskar-sanjay-manjrekar-retained-bcci-playoffs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sunil Gavaskar</strong></a>, 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.</p>
<h3>1. India in England, 6th ODI (Kennington Oval, 2007)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_261429" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-261429" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-261429" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Robin-Uthappa.jpg" alt="Robin Uthappa" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-261429" class="wp-caption-text">Robin Uthappa of India is congratulated after scoring the winning runs. (Photo by Tom Shaw/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>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.</p>
<p>However, it was the Master Blaster who came to the rescue of the visitors. The pair of <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/sachin-tendulkar-awestruck-rafael-nadals-brilliance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sachin Tendulkar</strong></a> 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!</p>
<p></p>
<h3>2. India Tour of England, 2nd Test (Lord’s, 2014)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_25073" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-25073" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="wp-image-25073" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Ishant-Sharma-at-lords.jpg" alt width="640" height="467" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-25073" class="wp-caption-text">LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 20: Ishant Sharma of India celebrates dismissing England captain Alastair Cook during day four of 2nd Investec Test match between England and India at Lord’s Cricket Ground on July 20, 2014 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The second Test match of the 2014 India Tour of England was a historic win that Indian fans will never forget. After a drawn first Test at Trent Bridge, the Lord’s Test saw Ishant Sharma come up with one of the best bowling spells of his career as India broke their infamous 15 Test win-less streak away from home. Put in to bat first by the hosts, the MS Dhoni-led Indian team teetered on the edge, save the gritty century by Ajinkya Rahane that shaped a total of 295 runs in the first innings.</p>
<p>It was Bhuvneshwar Kumar who ripped through the English batting order with 6 wickets to his name. Aided by Gary Ballance’s 110-run knock, England could muster only a 24-run lead. In reply, the top trio of the Indian team (Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/dale-steyns-spitting-cobra-pin-cheteshwar-pujara/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cheteshwar Pujara</strong></a>) put together 169 runs and England was set a hefty total of 318 runs to chase down. Pacer Ishant Sharma picked up 7 wickets in the 23 overs that he bowled, thus leaving the English side in shambles as India emerged victorious by 95 runs.</p>
<p></p>
<h3>3. India Tour of England, Only T20 (Edgbaston, 2014)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_261427" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-261427" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-261427" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/MS-Dhoni-Ambati-Rayudu.jpg" alt="MS Dhoni &amp; Ambati Rayudu" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-261427" class="wp-caption-text">MS Dhoni &amp; Ambati Rayudu. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>A classic T20 cliffhanger would be an apt way to describe the lone T20 encounter that India and England had in 2014 in India’s Tour of England. The host team skipper, Eoin Morgan played a gem of an innings as he recorded 71 runs off just 31 deliveries at a whopping strike rate of 229.03. Aided by Alex Hales and Ravi Bopara’s short stints, England were able to put up a competitive total of 180 runs on the board.</p>
<p>Batting second at Birmingham, India were unable to consolidate of <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/english-football-skipper-harry-kane-reacts-to-virat-kohlis-tweet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Virat Kohli</strong></a>‘s heroics that yielded 66 runs in 41 balls. The rest of the batting floundered under the probing English bowling attack that comprised the likes of Moeen Ali, Steve Finn, Harry Gurney and Chris Woakes. Although MSD tried his level best to keep his side into the game till the very last delivery, some crisp death bowling from Woakes and Gurney ensured that the Indian batting was choked of scoring runs and England eventually won the match deservingly by 3 runs.</p>
<p></p>
<h3>4. NatWest Series Final (Lord’s, 2002)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_261431" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-261431" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-261431" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Natwest-series-final-2002.jpg" alt="Natwest series final 2002" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-261431" class="wp-caption-text">Captain Saurav Ganguly of India with the Natwest series Trophy. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Who can ever forget the visuals of Sourav Ganguly waving his jersey like helicopter blades from the Lord’s balcony? A list chronicling the best of England-India encounters is bound to be incomplete without the iconic NatWest Series Final of 2002 finding its way into it. This was a game that kept everyone clinging to the edge of their seats till the very last moment as India won with just 2 wickets remaining. Batting first, England had scored a gargantuan 325 runs owing to blistering centuries from both Marcus Trescothick and skipper Nasser Hussain.</p>
<p>In reply, openers <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/former-afghanistan-head-coach-lalchand-rajput-reveals-virender-sehwag-of-the-team/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Virender Sehwag</strong></a> (45) and captain Ganguly (60) gave India a solid start. However their dismissal triggered a massive collapse and India kept faltering and losing wickets at regular intervals to a point where England were comfortably in the driver’s seat to bring the match home. What followed suit was a mind-boggling effort from Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif in the lower-middle order. A boundary off the last delivery of the 49th over and a miscalculated overthrow from England in the final over resulted in a historic Indian victory with 3 balls to spare.</p>
<p></p>
<h3>5.&nbsp;India in Ireland, England and Scotland, 2nd Test (Trent Bridge, 2007)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_261433" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-261433" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-261433" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/England-vs-India-Trent-Bridge-Test-2007.jpg" alt="England vs India Trent Bridge Test 2007" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-261433" class="wp-caption-text">Zaheer Khan of India celebrates the wicket of Ian Bell. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>A match that marked India’s first Test victory on a turf as celebrated as Trent Bridge, Nottingham is bound to be counted as one of the most thrilling games to have ever taken place between the two nations. The collective brilliance of the Indian batting order coupled with the bowling prowess displayed by the pair of Anil Kumble and Zaheer Khan was crucial in India’s victory in the game by 7 wickets.</p>
<p>That the Indian first innings saw five 50+ knocks from their major batsmen, including a 91-run innings from Sachin Tendulkar and only two batsmen from the English camp were able to cross the 50-run mark in both their innings combined, is summary enough of how the game progressed. Michael Vaughan was the silver lining of the England batting line-up as he brought up 124 runs from his bat.&nbsp;Feisty pacer, Khan was adjudged the Man of the Match for his aggressive brand of cricket that earned him 9 wickets and helped India clinch the game.</p>

<p>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!</p>
<p>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&#8217;re sure to have a special spot for India vs England matches in our hearts as more often than not, they&#8217;ve provided us with an opportunity to witness quality cricket from some of the best cricketers in the world.</p>
<p>Starting from Len Hutton, Geoffrey Boycott, Ian Botham, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2018-sunil-gavaskar-sanjay-manjrekar-retained-bcci-playoffs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sunil Gavaskar</strong></a>, 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&#8217;s take a look at the 5 most thrilling encounters to have ever been played between the two sides.</p>
<h3>1. India in England, 6th ODI (Kennington Oval, 2007)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_261429" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-261429" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-261429" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Robin-Uthappa.jpg" alt="Robin Uthappa" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-261429" class="wp-caption-text">Robin Uthappa of India is congratulated after scoring the winning runs. (Photo by Tom Shaw/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>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.</p>
<p>However, it was the Master Blaster who came to the rescue of the visitors. The pair of <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/sachin-tendulkar-awestruck-rafael-nadals-brilliance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sachin Tendulkar</strong></a> 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!</p>
<p></p>
<h3>2. India Tour of England, 2nd Test (Lord&#8217;s, 2014)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_25073" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-25073" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-25073" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Ishant-Sharma-at-lords.jpg" alt width="640" height="467" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-25073" class="wp-caption-text">LONDON, ENGLAND &#8211; JULY 20: Ishant Sharma of India celebrates dismissing England captain Alastair Cook during day four of 2nd Investec Test match between England and India at Lord&#8217;s Cricket Ground on July 20, 2014 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The second Test match of the 2014 India Tour of England was a historic win that Indian fans will never forget. After a drawn first Test at Trent Bridge, the Lord&#8217;s Test saw Ishant Sharma come up with one of the best bowling spells of his career as India broke their infamous 15 Test win-less streak away from home. Put in to bat first by the hosts, the MS Dhoni-led Indian team teetered on the edge, save the gritty century by Ajinkya Rahane that shaped a total of 295 runs in the first innings.</p>
<p>It was Bhuvneshwar Kumar who ripped through the English batting order with 6 wickets to his name. Aided by Gary Ballance&#8217;s 110-run knock, England could muster only a 24-run lead. In reply, the top trio of the Indian team (Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/dale-steyns-spitting-cobra-pin-cheteshwar-pujara/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cheteshwar Pujara</strong></a>) put together 169 runs and England was set a hefty total of 318 runs to chase down. Pacer Ishant Sharma picked up 7 wickets in the 23 overs that he bowled, thus leaving the English side in shambles as India emerged victorious by 95 runs.</p>
<p></p>
<h3>3. India Tour of England, Only T20 (Edgbaston, 2014)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_261427" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-261427" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-261427" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/MS-Dhoni-Ambati-Rayudu.jpg" alt="MS Dhoni &amp; Ambati Rayudu" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-261427" class="wp-caption-text">MS Dhoni &amp; Ambati Rayudu. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>A classic T20 cliffhanger would be an apt way to describe the lone T20 encounter that India and England had in 2014 in India&#8217;s Tour of England. The host team skipper, Eoin Morgan played a gem of an innings as he recorded 71 runs off just 31 deliveries at a whopping strike rate of 229.03. Aided by Alex Hales and Ravi Bopara&#8217;s short stints, England were able to put up a competitive total of 180 runs on the board.</p>
<p>Batting second at Birmingham, India were unable to consolidate of <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/english-football-skipper-harry-kane-reacts-to-virat-kohlis-tweet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Virat Kohli</strong></a>&#8216;s heroics that yielded 66 runs in 41 balls. The rest of the batting floundered under the probing English bowling attack that comprised the likes of Moeen Ali, Steve Finn, Harry Gurney and Chris Woakes. Although MSD tried his level best to keep his side into the game till the very last delivery, some crisp death bowling from Woakes and Gurney ensured that the Indian batting was choked of scoring runs and England eventually won the match deservingly by 3 runs.</p>
<p></p>
<h3>4. NatWest Series Final (Lord&#8217;s, 2002)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_261431" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-261431" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-261431" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Natwest-series-final-2002.jpg" alt="Natwest series final 2002" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-261431" class="wp-caption-text">Captain Saurav Ganguly of India with the Natwest series Trophy. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Who can ever forget the visuals of Sourav Ganguly waving his jersey like helicopter blades from the Lord&#8217;s balcony? A list chronicling the best of England-India encounters is bound to be incomplete without the iconic NatWest Series Final of 2002 finding its way into it. This was a game that kept everyone clinging to the edge of their seats till the very last moment as India won with just 2 wickets remaining. Batting first, England had scored a gargantuan 325 runs owing to blistering centuries from both Marcus Trescothick and skipper Nasser Hussain.</p>
<p>In reply, openers <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/former-afghanistan-head-coach-lalchand-rajput-reveals-virender-sehwag-of-the-team/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Virender Sehwag</strong></a> (45) and captain Ganguly (60) gave India a solid start. However their dismissal triggered a massive collapse and India kept faltering and losing wickets at regular intervals to a point where England were comfortably in the driver&#8217;s seat to bring the match home. What followed suit was a mind-boggling effort from Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif in the lower-middle order. A boundary off the last delivery of the 49th over and a miscalculated overthrow from England in the final over resulted in a historic Indian victory with 3 balls to spare.</p>
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<h3>5. India in Ireland, England and Scotland, 2nd Test (Trent Bridge, 2007)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_261433" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-261433" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-261433" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/England-vs-India-Trent-Bridge-Test-2007.jpg" alt="England vs India Trent Bridge Test 2007" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-261433" class="wp-caption-text">Zaheer Khan of India celebrates the wicket of Ian Bell. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>A match that marked India&#8217;s first Test victory on a turf as celebrated as Trent Bridge, Nottingham is bound to be counted as one of the most thrilling games to have ever taken place between the two nations. The collective brilliance of the Indian batting order coupled with the bowling prowess displayed by the pair of Anil Kumble and Zaheer Khan was crucial in India&#8217;s victory in the game by 7 wickets.</p>
<p>That the Indian first innings saw five 50+ knocks from their major batsmen, including a 91-run innings from Sachin Tendulkar and only two batsmen from the English camp were able to cross the 50-run mark in both their innings combined, is summary enough of how the game progressed. Michael Vaughan was the silver lining of the England batting line-up as he brought up 124 runs from his bat. Feisty pacer, Khan was adjudged the Man of the Match for his aggressive brand of cricket that earned him 9 wickets and helped India clinch the game.</p>

There are certain cricketing rivalries that go beyond the sport itself; fiercer and edgier than the average.

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

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