India are under pressure heading into the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford, starting July 23. After a dramatic defeat at Lord's, Shubman Gill's team trails 1-2 in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy and must win to keep the series alive.
But the venue is not a happy hunting ground for the visitors. India have never won a Test match at Old Trafford despite playing nine times there - with four losses and five draws.
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Yet, the match offers a golden opportunity. Gill has already made history on this tour.
He has scored three centuries in the first two Tests and surpassed Rahul Dravid's record for most runs by an Indian in a Test series in England. Now with Old Trafford next, the Indian skipper has the chance to end a 35-year drought - no Indian batter has scored a Test century at this venue since 1990.
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Indian batters with Test centuries at Old Trafford, Manchester
Only eight Indian batters have managed to get into triple figures at Old Trafford. Here is the complete list:
| Batsman | Score | Year | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syed Mushtaq Ali | 112 | 1936 | Drawn |
| Vijay Merchant | 114 | 1936 | Drawn |
| Abbas Ali Baig | 112 | 1959 | Lost by 171 runs |
| Polly Umrigar | 118 | 1959 | Lost by 171 runs |
| Sunil Gavaskar | 101 | 1974 | Lost by by 133 Runs |
| Sandeep Patil | 129* | 1982 | Drawn |
| Mohammad Azharuddin | 179 | 1990 | Drawn |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 119* | 1990 | Drawn |
What's next for the Indian cricket team?
India's last Test match at Old Trafford was in 2014 when England won by an innings. This time, with the series on the line - India will look to end their winless streak at the venue and bring the series level.