Five Controversies that have hit India vs England Test series in the past

3. The Vaseline-coated series of 1976-77

Tony Greig’s England came to India after suffering defeats against Australia and the West Indies and turned around the fortunes by registering a 3-1 victory over the hosts in a five-game series.

But the visitors’ win in a Test series in India after a gap of 43 years was marred by the Vaseline controversy. And it was John Lever, the left-arm fast bowler from Essex, who was at the centre of the controversy despite his impressive show in the series with 26 scalps at an average of 14.61.

The controversy broke out in the third Test played in Chennai (then Madras) where the English team’s physio suggested the players to use strips of Vaseline-coated gauze on their eyebrows to prevent the sweat drip down from their faces. But the situation turned worse when Lever, at one point of the game, threw his gauze down on the ground and it was taken up by the umpires.

Bishan Singh Bedi, who was captaining India, brought allegations that the bowler used the Vaseline for tampering with the ball in not just the game in Madras but also in Delhi to make it swing more. England, which had a captain who was known for his excellent public relations, said the offence was unintentional even if they committed a technical violation of law 46.

It also said that there was no need to resort to unfair means since the Indian team was already doing poorly. Both teams settled for the opinion that it was not intentional though the series is continued to be called a Vaseline-coated one. England were lucky not to have faced India’s 24X7 media that scrutinises everything under the sun today.