India face New Zealand at Eden Gardens
Starting a long home season with a win at Kanpur, India will face New Zealand in the second test match at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata. This is India's 250th test match at home. Shikhar Dhawan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have been added in the playing XI for India, while New Zealand captain Kane Williamson was ruled out due to fever.
First ever test match and records
India played their first ever test match at home against England in December, 1933. India lost the match, but the great Lala Amarnath who was playing his debut test match hit India's first ever test century, while captain C K Nayudu scored 44 runs. India's first pace bowler Mohammad Nissar took five wickets in the first innings.
First win in home test match
India's first win on home soil came in February 1952 when they defeated England by an innings and 8 runs in Chennai. Vinoo Mankad took eight wickets in the first innings, while Pankaj Roy and Polly Umrigar scored centuries in the second innings.
First win in the first ever clash
India first faced arch rivals Pakistan at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi in October 1952, which resulted in India's win. Vinoo Mankad played a vital role in India's win by picking up eight wickets in the first innings and five wickets in the second. Indian won the match by an innings and 70 runs, and also won the five match series 2-1.
India registers win against Pakistan in 200th test match
In 2005, in their 200th test match at home, India defeated Pakistan by 195 runs at Eden Gardens. Rahul Dravid scored centuries in both the innings, while Anil Kumble took a total of 10 wickets in the match.
India seals top spot of ICC test table first time
In 2009, 77 years after India's first ever test match, India reached the top of the ICC test rankings. Playing at the Brebourne Stadium in Mumbai, India defeated Sri Lanka by an innings and 24 runs. The 'Nawab of Nazafgarh' Virender Sehwag helped India put a mighty 726 runs on the scoreboard, scoring an impressive 293 runs.
Bowlers' achievements in home tests
In 1988, India faced West Indies at Chennai. Narendra Hirwani, who was playing his debut test match, took 16 wickets, giving away 136 runs. The record is yet to be broken. In 1999, Anil Kumble took all the ten wickets in an innings against Pakistan at Delhi, becoming the second player to do so in cricketing history.
Achievements by Indian batsmen at home
Sunil Gavaskar broke Don Bradman's record of 29 test centuries when he scored the 30th one at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai in 1986. In 2001, VVS Laxman's 281 and Rahul Dravid's 180 runs helped India win a test match against Australia at Eden Gardens after a follow-on. Virender Sehwag scored his career best 319 runs against South Africa at Chennai in 2008.
