Deprived of their captain, David Gower, through injury, and their talisman, Ian Botham, through excess, England turned to Mike Gatting for the second Test at Headingley as they attempted to get back on level terms with an Indian team already one up in the series. On a notoriously bad, low-scoring Headingley wicket, batting first was always going to be vital, but it was Kapil Dev who struck the first blow by winning the toss. India made steady progress, thanks to some wild, nervy bowling from John Lever, playing his first Test for four years. All of India's top six made starts, but it was their No. 4 who really stood out. Dilip Vengsarkar's first-innings 61 helped the Indians to a decent total of 272, on a pitch which was only going to get worse – as England soon found out. Three down for 14, including the wickets of Gooch and the mighty duo Wilf Slack (bowled second ball) and Chris Smith (bowled for 6), England were in immediate trouble. Bill Athey provided some sort of resistance with 32 and also managed to see England past the follow-on mark of 74 - at which point they were eight wickets down.

England folded for 102 all out and with a lead of 170, India were surely unbeatable. But Lever put his first-innings nightmare behind him and produced a dreamy spell of three for nine in 28 balls. India slumped to 70 for five, and England were suddenly back in with a sniff. But that scent of victory slowly became less and less potent - thanks to that man again. While all others scratched and poked about, Vengsarkar again stood out and scored an invaluable 102 not out in India's total of 237. It may not sound much, but in the context of the game, where 35 was the next highest score, his efforts in both innings were priceless.

Score 408 runs, or bat for just over two days: that was the equation England faced in order to avoid another humiliation. Unsurprisingly, they opted for the draw but by close of play on the Saturday, England were 90 for six. Twenty-two overs into the fourth day and it was all over bar India's shouts and roars of delight as they toasted Man of the Match Vengsarkar, a glorious victory and a rare series win outside Asia – which is, in fact, still their last.

It was a different story for England though: Gatting's first defeat as captain and England's seventh in a row, it was a series to forget. Slack, Smith and Lever never played for England again.

Almanack report
Scorecard

Freddie Auld is on the staff of Wisden.com.

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