
Virat Kohli couldn't score a century in Manchester. Photo: BCCI
11 years after playing their previous Test match at Old Trafford, Team India will return to Manchester to take on England in the fourth Test of the five-match series. The home team is 2-1 ahead and a defeat here will mean another series defeat for India in England. The two-time World Test Championship runners-up haven't won a Test series in England since 2007. And their record at Old Trafford isn't encouraging. India haven't won even one Test match in Manchester.
India played their first Test at this venue in 1936. MS Dhoni was still the Test captain when India last played there. The Indian batsmen have always struggled in Manchester and none of them have been able to slam a century there since 1990. Virat Kohli, who played one Test in Manchester, departed for 0 and 7 in 2014. James Anderson got him out in both innings.
Who was last batsman to score a century at Lord's?
Sachin Tendulkar was the last Indian batsman to score a century at Lord's - in 1990. Asked to chase a target of 408, Sachin remained unbeaten on 119 off 189 balls in the fourth innings. India could have pulled off their first win in Manchester back then but missed out.
Sanjay Manjrekar scored a crucial 50 off 77 balls while Dilip Vengsarkar scored 32. Sachin, who came out to bat at number 6, gave his best shot at scaling the chase but India fell short. England would have sensed a win after dismissing Kapil Dev for 26.
But Manoj Prabhakar quashed their hopes. The former India all-rounder remained unbeaten on 67 off 128 balls and added 160 runs for the seventh wicket with the Master Blaster.
It was Sachin's first century in England. He hit 4 centuries there. Sachin played his last Test in England in 2011. He scored 91 in his last innings - at The Oval.