When England scored 544/7 by stumps on Day 3 of the fourth Test at Old Trafford, they handed India the 86th instance of teams posting a 500-plus total against them in Test cricket. With a 186-run lead and India trailing 1-2 in the five-match series, things now look grim for the visitors.
Conceding 500 in an innings has rarely ended well for India in the past. Out of 86 such instances, they have managed to win only one Test match. The rest? 42 losses and 43 draws/ties.
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India's only win after conceding 500 in a Test: Dravid's masterclass in Adelaide, 2003
The only time India pulled off a win after conceding 500+ was in Adelaide, December 2003 when they toppled Australia despite the hosts scoring 556 in the first innings. It was a Rahul Dravid special: 233 in the first innings and an unbeaten 72* in the second.
Chasing 230, India won by four wickets. The win was also their first in Australia since 1981; and it handed the Aussies their first series deficit at home in nearly a decade.
India's record in Tests after conceding 500+ totals
Here is a look at how India have fared when they have conceded a 500+ innings total:
| Opponent | Matches | Wins | Losses | Draws/Ties | Highest score conceded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 18 | 1 | 10 | 7 | 674 |
| England | 22 | 0 | 12 | 9 | 710 |
| New Zealand | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 680 |
| Pakistan | 11 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 699 |
| South Africa | 7 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 620 |
| Sri Lanka | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 952 |
| West Indies | 17 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 644 |
| Zimbabwe | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 503 |
More: Who has scored the most Test centuries against India? Joe Root goes past Steve Smith's record
With England's 544/7 at Old Trafford, Shubman Gill became the latest Indian captain to concede a 500-plus total in a Test. It was a difficult day for India - with injuries to Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, and missed chances in the field.
Root's 150 put England in complete control by stumps. Unless India script a miracle, this could soon become the 43rd Test defeat after conceding 500-plus runs - a record they would surely rather not extend.