Winning a Test series in England is not something India have done often. Since 1932, Team India has played many series in English conditions, but victories have been very rare. Only three Indian captains in history have led the team to a Test series win in England.
The conditions in England, seaming pitches, cloudy weather, swinging Dukes ball, have always been a big challenge for Indian players.
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And now, in the ongoing five-match series in 2025, India looks close to letting another one slip away. With England already leading 2-1 and dominating the fourth Test, let’s take a look back at the Indian captains who actually managed to conquer England.
Who are the only Indian captains to win a Test series in England?
Ajit Wadekar – 1971 series (India won 1-0)
Ajit Wadekar made history in 1971, becoming the first Indian captain to win a Test series in England. Nobody had expected this back then, but India stunned the hosts with a big performance in the third Test.
After two draws in the first two games, Bhagwath Chandrasekhar spun India to a historic win at The Oval, picking up six wickets.
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Kapil Dev – 1986 series (India won 2-0)
India’s second series win came under Kapil Dev in 1986, just a few years after he led India to their famous 1983 World Cup win.
India beat England at Lord’s and Headingley, and the third Test ended in a draw. It was a complete team effort and the batters especially stood tall.
Rahul Dravid – 2007 series (India won 1-0)
Rahul Dravid was the last Indian captain to win a Test series in England. That happened in 2007. India had a superstar team back then with Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, and VVS Laxman.
They drew at Lord’s and The Oval, but won the second match at Trent Bridge, thanks to a superb bowling show and some gutsy batting.
Is India’s 2025 series slipping away after Stokes’ all-round show?
In the current series, things are not looking great for India. On Day 4 of the fourth Test at Old Trafford, Ben Stokes hammered 141 off 198 and completed a rare double, a century and a five-wicket haul in the same match.
England posted 669, taking a 311-run lead. Then, in just one over before lunch, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan got out back-to-back, and India were in deep trouble again.
England fast bowlers were getting more out of the pitch, and India's batters couldn’t handle it. The match is now strongly in England’s control, and if India lose this Test, they lose the series.
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That would mean no series win in England since 2007, and a missed chance for Shubman Gill to add his name to that very short list of winning captains.