India’s last Test series win against England came in 2007, under Rahul Dravid’s captaincy. They had a team manager in past great Chandu Borde, but no coach. Dravid and the senior players around him – Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Anil Kumble, Sourav Ganguly – shepherded the others. Cricket was different then.
No country had a T20 league of its own for starters, which meant a bit more breathing room in the calendar. That year, India’s first Test against England began on July 19, but the squad was in the United Kingdom since a month before. In the current calendar, having one month playing competitive games in the country you’re touring is a pipe dream.
India began with a one-off ODI against Ireland, then played a three-match ODI series against South Africa, again in Ireland. There was to be a one-off ODI against Pakistan too, but that got rained out. They then had two warm-up matches, a four-day fixture against Sussex and a three-day one against England Lions. In that Lions side, all eleven players went on to represent England, and some had glittering careers.
There was Andrew Strauss, Jonathan Trott, Adil Rashid and Stuart Broad among them. So the Indian team that played the three-Test series was properly tuned up. They could get used to playing in colder weather and all the adjustments it needed. They got used to an English summer day’s rhythms, their body clocks had time to adjust thoroughly to not just being in a different time-zone, but playing and travelling in it.
First Test – Lord’s
India hung on to draw the game by the skin of their teeth, finishing 282 for 9 in the fourth innings while chasing a target of 380. This was among MS Dhoni’s less-remembered doughty Test knocks. None of Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman or Ganguly passed fifty, while Dhoni ended on 76 not out from 159 balls.
India still needed a bit of a helping hand, with rain washing away the last session of the game. However, Dhoni played the leading hand in India surviving 96 overs in the fourth innings in difficult conditions.
Second Test – Trent Bridge
India were driven by Zaheer Khan’s pace, hostility and fire. Zaheer was at the start of a four-year run where he would be quite irresistible across conditions, and he took nine wickets in the game. Zaheer’s incisiveness was partly driven by England’s gamesmanship. When he was batting, England’s fielders kept putting jelly beans near the crease.
It was a juvenile prank, meant to be a dig at Zaheer’s supposed lack of fitness. Instead, it incensed him. It helped that Zaheer was in great physical condition too. He bowled with venom and remarkable control of swing and seam, to skittle England out, as India chased down a fourth-innings target of 73 with seven wickets in hand.
Third Test – The Oval
A draw, but a memorable one, because of Anil Kumble. He was decent with the ball, but this time, it was Kumble’s batting that won India the series. Kumble hit 110 not out from No.8, his only Test century. The landmark was welcomed by jubilant cheers from the Indian camp, with everyone sharing in the joy of one of their greatest warriors.
It was also the only century scored by an Indian batter in the whole series. India made 664, and England were bowled out for 345. The pitch had no demons, so Dravid opted to bat again. Set a target of 500, England hung on, batting out 110 overs in the fourth innings.
Rahul Dravid’s last Test series as Indian captain
India dominated one drawn Test, while England dominated another. And India won the middle Test to be worthy series winners. This was a victory fashioned by a team full of senior, experienced players. We didn’t know it then, but it was also to be Dravid’s last time as captain, with the batter giving up the job after a two-year stint. It was fashioned without a coach.
Nearly everything about the current Indian team is at the opposite end of the spectrum. There isn’t a group of experienced senior players, the captain is leading for the first time, and they have a coach who has a big presence. However, what could work for them is what worked above all for the 2007 team: every player contributed with crucial runs or wickets at various times.
When India needed someone to step up, they always found someone who would. In the end, the 2007 victory was truly a team effort. If the 2025 group can emulate that, then they can add a glorious chapter to India’s history in England.
