Which Indian batsman has scored the most Test centuries against England?
(21 December 2001)
In 1984/85, a callow Hyderabadi youth made his Test debut against
England at Calcutta and quickly made his presence
felt, notching up 110 off 288 balls. In the very same series, in the
next two Tests, Mohammad
Azharuddin racked up two more centuries, becoming the first, and
so far only, player to score three centuries in his first three Tests.
For Azharuddin, though, the party against England had just started.
After a lacklustre series in 1986, he surged back in 1990, this time
at the helm of his team. Undaunted by Graham Gooch's first-innings 333
at Lords, Azharuddin hit 121 off just 111 balls, striking 22
fours in his knock. Although his century helped India avoid the
follow-on, an admirable achievement in itself, it did not stop England
from registering a 247-run win.
England were the beneficiary of yet another Gooch century in the next
Test at Manchester, but India had found their own performer-of-
the- series in Azharuddin. Making 179 off 243 balls, with 21 fours and
one six, he played a lone hand. Along with Sachin Tendulkar's second-
innings hundred, Azhar's ton went a long way in honourably drawing the
Test.
Losing that series 1-0, Azhar could barely wait till England returned
the visit. The first chance he got, back in his favourite venue of Calcutta in 1993, he ravaged the hapless English
attack to the tune of 182 off 197 balls, hitting 12 fours and a six.
England lost that Test, and the remaining two in the series as well,
leaving Azhar with an average of 58 and a tally of six centuries
against the English.
Although that record has stood for some time, Tendulkar has always
been the prime candidate to equal it. With five centuries against the
English before the start of the Bangalore Test, a hundred at the
Chinnaswamy stadium would see him draw level with his former captain.
No doubt Azhar himself would feel that there is no better candidate to
do so.
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