Test cricket isn’t just a game of skill; it’s a test of character, endurance, and versatility. And in the historic India vs England rivalry, a few cricketers have transcended their primary roles to dominate in both departments: batting and bowling. These rare all-round gems not only contributed runs or wickets, but they also defined matches. Whether it was Sir Ian Botham’s destructive swagger in the 1980s or Ravichandran Ashwin’s cerebral brilliance in the 2020s, all-round performances in this fixture have often dramatically swung the pendulum of momentum.
What makes an all-around performance truly great isn’t just the numbers. It’s the context, the pitch conditions, the match situation, the quality of opposition, and the mental toughness it took to deliver under pressure. These cricketers not only stood tall when their teams needed them they did so twice in the same game. Let’s dive into the Top 5 All-Round Performances in India vs England Test history, where legends stamped their authority with both bat and ball.
5. Ben Stokes – 82 & 4/40 (Lord’s, 2021)
While Ben Stokes has produced bigger match-winning performances elsewhere, his gritty effort at Lord’s in 2021 stood out due to its impact on a hard-fought Test. Stokes played a vital knock of 82, full of discipline and counterattack, helping England take a slender lead.
In India’s second innings, as tensions ran high and tempers flared, Stokes stepped up with the ball. Bowling a fiery spell of short-pitched hostility, he removed key Indian batters like Pujara and Pant, breaking the backbone of the innings.
While England eventually lost that Test due to India’s brilliant tail-end resistance, Stokes’ all-round effort nearly turned the game on its head.
Match Stats:
| Runs | Balls Faced | 4s/6s | Bowling Figures | Wickets | Match Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 82 | 170 | 9/1 | 4/40 (2nd Innings) | 4 | Turned match momentum on Day 4 |
4. Moeen Ali – 87 & 8/129 (Southampton, 2014)
In 2014, Moeen Ali was still trying to find his place in the English Test team. But in the third Test at Southampton, he produced a breakthrough performance that solidified his role as a genuine all-rounder.
With the bat, Moeen played a silky 87, stitching crucial partnerships and helping England reach a strong total. But it was his off-spin in the fourth innings that stunned India. On a Day 5 pitch, Moeen exploited the rough brilliantly, taking 6/67 and bowling India out for just 178.
His ability to break partnerships and use bounce to his advantage turned the tide of the match, handing England a 266-run victory. For a part-time spinner to do that against India’s famed batting lineup? That’s special.
Match Stats:
| Runs | Balls Faced | 4s | Bowling Figures (1st Inns) | Bowling Figures (2nd Inns) | Total Wickets | Match Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 87 | 148 | 9 | 2/62 | 6/67 | 8 | England won by 266 runs |
3. Ravichandran Ashwin – 106 & 8/96 (Chennai, 2021)
In the second Test of the 2021 series, Ravichandran Ashwin delivered a modern all-round masterpiece in front of his home crowd in Chennai. On a dusty turner that had critics debating the fairness of the pitch, Ashwin shut everyone up with skill and composure.
With the ball, he struck early, taking 5 wickets in the first innings, outfoxing English batters with flight and dip. But it was his batting performance that stunned fans. Coming in at 106/6, Ashwin counterattacked with a classy 106 off 148 balls, stitching crucial partnerships and demoralising England.
He added another 3 wickets in the final innings, finishing with 8 for the match. The performance showcased his evolution into a thinking cricketer, one who could out-bat batters and out-think bowlers.
Match Stats:
| Runs | Balls Faced | 4s/6s | Bowling Figures (1st Inns) | Bowling Figures (2nd Inns) | Total Wickets | Match Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 106 | 148 | 14/1 | 5/43 | 3/53 | 8 | India won by 317 runs |
2. Vinoo Mankad – 184 & 5/196 (Madras, 1952)
If there ever was a performance that symbolised the rise of Indian cricket, it was Vinoo Mankad’s heroics in Madras in 1952. Facing an established England team, Mankad, India’s original superstar all-rounder, took charge.
Opening the innings, he compiled a magnificent 184, batting for over 4 hours and completely frustrating the English bowlers. His innings laid the base for a massive 457-run total. Not content with that, Mankad then rolled up his sleeves and bowled 97.2 overs of relentless left-arm spin across two innings. He picked up 5 crucial wickets, ensuring England were bowled out twice.
This was India’s first-ever Test win over England, a moment of national pride. Mankad’s performance was both monumental and symbolic, a declaration that India had arrived on the Test scene.
Match Stats:
| Runs | Balls Faced | 4s | Bowling Overs | Wickets | Economy | Match Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 184 | 346 | 21 | 97.2 | 5 | 2.01 | India won by an innings and 8 runs |
1. Ian Botham – 114 & 13/106 (Mumbai, 1980)
The 1980 Mumbai Test saw Ian Botham unleash arguably the greatest all-round performance ever witnessed in Test cricket. He didn’t just outplay India, he bulldozed them.
In England’s first innings, Botham walked in at 58/5 and smashed an uncompromising century, scoring 114 off 144 balls with 17 fours and 1 six, rescuing his team from collapse. Then came his magic with the ball. On a flat Wankhede pitch, he ran through the Indian batting line-up with a five-for in the first innings. But it was the second innings where he went berserk, taking 7 wickets for 48 runs a spell of reverse swing carnage that left India rattled.
This performance was so overwhelming that India lost by 10 wickets, and Botham ended the match with 13 wickets and 114 runs, a record unmatched in India vs England history.
Match Stats:
| Runs | Balls Faced | 4s/6s | Bowling Figures (1st Inns) | Bowling Figures (2nd Inns) | Total Wickets | Match Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 114 | 144 | 17/1 | 6/58 | 7/48 | 13 | England won by 10 wickets |
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