England are the only side to win the first three Tests of a series in India?
(07 December 2001)

Possibly the strongest side to tour India since Douglas Jardine's eleven, a Tony Greig-led squad visited India in 1976-77, taking on a side that had just completed a win in New Zealand. The series looked to be an exciting one, possibly going down to the last Test; India, of course, were expected to win the rubber.

The first Test saw debutant John Lever run wild at the Ferozeshah Kotla, picking up 10 for 70 and, along with Dennis Amiss, spurring his side to an innings victory. At Calcutta, Tony Greig played an agonisingly slow innings, making the fourth slowest hundred for England at the time; what it lacked in entertainment, however, it made up in quality. Greig's century and fine bowling from Bob Willis won England that Test by 10 wickets.

Already staring down the barrel of the gun, India took the field at Madras with everything to play for. Lever, however, got into the act again, taking five wickets in India's first innings to dismiss them for 164. Set a total of 284 for victory, India did not even get close; Derek Underwood, Lever, and Willis combined to blow India way for just 83, handing England a 200-run victory.

India won the fourth Test and drew the fifth, but they were moot achievements. England had already put the series out of the home side's reach, in the process becoming the first, and so far only, team to win the first three Tests of a rubber in India.

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