Scoring a Test century is always a special moment for any player and if it is at the Home of Cricket – Lord’s then it is even more special. Lord’s is not just another cricket ground, but it is quite a special one. Firstly, it is considered the Home of Cricket, so people will always remember that innings or bowling performance if you do well there.
The most important thing is that if you score a century or take a five-wicket haul at Lord’s, your name appears on the honors board. It becomes a highlight of any player’s career if he manages to get his name on the Lord’s honors board. So, let us have a look at the nine Indians who have scored a Test century at Lord’s.
9. Vinoo Mankad – 184 vs England 1952
Vinoo Mankad who is unfortunately only known for getting the non-striker out was one of the finest all-rounders to have played for India. Mankad is the first Indian to score a Test century at Lord’s.
In the 1952 England tour, Vinoo Mankad managed to score 184 against the hosts England at Lord’s. Even though India lost the game, it was a proud moment for Mankad as he became the first Indian to get his name on the honors board.
8. Dilip Vengsarkar – 103 vs England 1979, 157 vs England 1982, and 126* vs England 1986
Dilip Vengsarkar who is one of India’s finest Test batsmen has managed to score not one, not two but three Test centuries at the Home of Cricket – Lord’s. Vengsarkar did for the first time in 1979 when he scored 103 against the hosts England.
Three years later, he bettered his score as he crossed the 150-run mark. He scored 157 against England in 1982. India drew the first time he scored a century but lost the second time. It changed the third time, as Vengsarkar scored 126* and India won the game at Lord’s.
7. Gundappa Viswanath – 113 vs England 1979
Gundappa Viswanath managed to score a Test century at Lord’s in the same Test in which Vengsarkar scored his first Test century at Lord’s. Vishwanath scored 113 runs off 337 balls in 1979.
Centuries from Vengsarkar and Viswanath in the third innings helped India draw the Test match. Viswanath became the third Indian to get his name on the honors board.
6. Ravi Shastri – 100 vs England 1990
The current Indian head coach Ravi Shastri too has his name on the Lord’s honors board as he scored a Test century in 1990 at the same venue. Ravi Shastri scored 100 off 184 balls in the first Test of the series.
England had scored a mammoth total and in reply, Shastri went on to score a century. Despite his efforts, India lost the match.
5. Mohammed Azharuddin – 121 vs England 1990
Mohammed Azharuddin scored a Test century in the same match in which Ravi Shastri scored his. England had scored 653-4 and in reply, India managed to score 454. Shastri scored a century while opening the innings, and Azharuddin came at No.5 and scored another century.
Azharuddin scored 121 off just 111 balls with 22 fours to his name. Rarely, two Indians score a Test century at Lord’s in the same match, but these two players did it.
4. Sourav Ganguly – 131 vs England 1996
Sourav Ganguly who has been one of India’s finest captains has scored a Test century at Lord’s in his debut Test. England scored 344 in their first innings and in reply, Sourav Ganguly who was playing his first Test was absolutely brilliant.
Ganguly scored 131 off 301 balls with 20 fours to his name. It was a great innings as India went on to go past England’s total and the match ended in a draw.
3. Ajit Agarkar – 109* vs England 2002
Ajit Agarkar is one of those names which you don’t expect to be on the honors board for his batting, but he has managed to do it. In the 2002 England tour, the first Test was at Lord’s. England dominated completely as India needed over 500 runs to win the Test in the fourth innings.
India obviously didn’t reach the target, but Ajit Agarkar reached his century. He scored 109* off 190 balls as India got bowled for 397 and lost the match by 170 runs.
2. Rahul Dravid – 103* vs England 2011
In the 2011 England tour, India got whitewashed 4-0, but Rahul Dravid was batting at a different level as he kept scoring runs. In the first Test at Lord’s, he was the lone warrior for India as he scored 103* off 220 balls as India got bowled out for 286.
Coming in at No.3, he batted throughout the innings but unfortunately couldn’t change the result of the match as India lost by 196 runs.
1. Ajinkya Rahane – 103 vs England 2014
India has never lost a Test when Ajinkya Rahane has scored a century, and exactly that happened at Lord’s when Rahane scored his century. It is one of the finest knocks you could see at the Home of Cricket.
India was in trouble on a green wicket, and Rahane batted with the bowlers to score his century and take India to a formidable total. He scored 103 off 154 balls, which helped India win a Test at the home of Cricket – Lord’s.
