Few overseas venues are as deeply entwined with India's cricketing history as The Kennington Oval in London.
Since their first Test appearance here in 1936, India have returned time and again -- sometimes to endure, sometimes to conquer.
This historic ground has seen it all: The pain of early defeats, the euphoria of a maiden win in 1971 that sparked a new era, and the grit of modern-day resilience in a thrilling 2021 victory.
Established in 1845 and boasting a capacity of 23,500, named after its original oval shape, the ground saw cricket put on hold during both World Wars when it was repurposed for wartime use.
| Matches Played | Wins | Losses | Draws |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 2 | 6 | 7 |
India played their first Test at The Oval in 1936, under the maharaja of Vizianagram's captaincy. The game ended in a nine-wicket loss for the visitors, but fast bowler Mohammad Nissar stood out with a five wicket haul.
A decade later, in 1946, India returned to The Oval for the first Test against England after World War II -- a rain-hit contest that ended in a draw. Vijay Merchant stood tall with a fluent 128 in the first innings, marking a standout performance in an otherwise weather-marred encounter.
In 1952, another drawn game followed, with India showing more grit but unable to force a result.
In 1959, India suffered a heavy innings defeat, as Fred Trueman ran through the batting line-up.
India's Historic First Victory at The Oval - 1971
India achieved a momentous milestone in cricket history by securing their first ever Test victory in England at The Oval in August 1971, defeating England by 4 wickets under Ajit Wadekar's captaincy.
England began strongly, posting 355 in their first innings with notable contributions from Alan Knott (90) and John Jameson (82). Eknath Solkar, Bishan Bedi, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar and Srinivas Venkataraghavan shared nine wickets between them, setting the tone for India's dominance.
India responded with 284, trailing by 71 runs. Farokh Engineer top-scored with 59, while Dilip Sardesai contributed 54. Ray Illingworth was England's most successful bowler, claiming 5 for 70.
The match turned decisively in India's favour during England's second innings. Chandrasekhar produced a magical spell, taking 6 for 38 to bowl England out for just 101. His devastating performance, combined with Venkataraghavan's 2 for 44, left India chasing a modest 173.
Despite early jitters in the run-chase, losing Gavaskar for a duck, India held their nerve. Wadekar (45), Dilip Sardesai (40) and G R Viswanath (33) steadied the innings before Engineer (28 not out) guided them home at 174 for 6.
This historic victory marked the beginning of India's golden era under Wadekar, breaking their 35-year winless streak at The Oval.
In 1979, India nearly pulled off a miracle win while chasing 438, with Sunil Gavaskar scoring a legendary 221 in the second innings. They finished agonisingly short at 429/8, resulting in a draw.
Another draw followed in 1982, as India's batters dug in after conceding a hefty first innings lead. Kapil Dev provided the highlight with a blistering 97 off just 93 balls, helping steer the team to safety.
In 1990, Ravi Shastri's commanding 187 and Kapil Dev's breezy 110 powered India to a formidable 606/9 declared. England, trailing at 293/7 in the first innings, were rescued by Jack Russell (34*) and Eddie Hemmings (26*).
In their second innings, England rallied with 477/4 declared to secure a draw -- a match that showcased India's growing batting might and hinted at the promise of a new era.
The 2002 Test at The Oval was a showcase of India's batting depth, with Rahul Dravid leading the way with a majestic 217, supported by Sachin Tendulkar's fluent 54 and Sourav Ganguly's composed 51. The match ended in a draw, but India's dominance with the bat left a lasting impression.
In 2007, Anil Kumble notched up his only Test hundred (110 not out) as India again drew the Oval Test.
However, the tide turned in the 2010s. In 2011, India suffered a heavy defeat at The Oval, losing by an innings and 8 runs despite Dravid's defiant 146. The loss sealed a 0-4 series whitewash, marking a low point in India's overseas campaigns.
The 2014 Test proved even more disastrous, as India were skittled out for just 148 in the first innings -- with 82 of those runs coming from M S Dhoni alone. Following another batting collapse for 94 in the second innings, India slumped to a crushing innings and 244 run defeat, one of their heaviest losses on English soil.
In 2018, India fell to another defeat at The Oval, this time by 118 runs. Despite a spirited fightback in the second innings, with K L Rahul scoring 149 and Rishabh Pant registering his maiden Test century with 114, the effort wasn't enough to avoid a series-ending loss.
India Clinch Historic Win at The Oval with All-Round Show
India secured only their second Test victory at The Oval with a commanding 157-run win over England in 2021 under Virat Kohli's leadership.
After being reduced to 127/7 in the first innings, Shardul Thakur's blazing 57 off 36 balls gave India a fighting total of 191. Chris Woakes starred for England with four wickets while Ollie Robinson bagged three.
England responded strongly, posting 290 thanks to Ollie Pope's gritty 81 and Woakes' counterattacking 50. Umesh Yadav led India's bowling with three wickets, while Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah chipped in.
India turned the tide in their second innings. Rohit Sharma scored a sublime 127 and was ably supported by Cheteshwar Pujara (61), Pant (50), and Thakur (60). Their efforts propelled India to 466, setting England a daunting 368 run target.
England began well with a 100 run opening stand, but the innings crumbled soon after. Bumrah's fiery spell and Umesh's late strikes restricted England to 210. Haseeb Hameed top-scored with 63, but Jadeja and Thakur shared crucial breakthroughs.
India's most recent Test at The Oval ended in heartbreak. In June 2023, they were thrashed by Australia in the World Test Championship Final, losing by 209 runs under Rohit Sharma's captaincy.
Despite the ups and downs, The Oval remains a ground of rich memories and monumental moments for Indian cricket.
Now, as India trail 1-2 in the Test series, the stage is set for the final showdown at the Oval from July 31 to August 4. With a chance to level the series, Shubman Gill's men will look to draw inspiration from past triumphs at this iconic venue -- particularly the win in 2021 -- and overcome the heartbreak of their last visit.
India's Match-wise Test Records at The Oval
© 2025