INDIA v WEST INDIES 1983-84

At New Delhi, October 29, 30, November 1, 2, 3. Drawn. Although West Indies trailed by 80 runs on the first innings, they looked likely winners when, early on the final morning, Marshall produced another spell of furious speed to take three wickets in close succession. The impetus given them by these successes might have seen West Indies to victory had their attack not been depleted by a hamstring injury to Holding.

Kapil Dev won his first toss in seven Test matches against West Indies and India thrived on his change of luck and a bland pitch, scoring 299 for three on the first day. Gavaskar hit a century of historical significance and Vengsarkar remained unbeaten with an attractive 114. Gavaskar's hundred, his 29th in Test cricket, put him level with Sir Donald Bradman for the highest number of three-figure innings in Test cricket. After a shaky start he decided to hit his way out of trouble, and he succeeded to such a degree that he needed only 37 balls to reach his 50. Although he curbed himself thereafter, Gavaskar's bat continued to ring with strokes of great charm. He reached his hundred out of 169 in three hours with thirteen 4s and one 6. In terms of balls received (94) it would rate among the quickest in Test history. Vengsarkar also batted with style and fluency.

The second new ball, taken at the start of the second day, severely tested the overnight not-out batsmen, Vengsarkar and Shastri, but 78 minutes passed before West Indies broke through, removing Vengsarkar, whose highest Test score of 159, in 370 minutes, included twenty 4s and one 6. The innings then would have subsided without Binny's making a fighting 52.

India looked poised to take a substantial first-innings lead when, shortly after lunch on the third day, Richards was out for a sparkling 67 off 70 balls and West Indies were 173 for five. But they were taken past 300 by a sixth-wicket partnership between Lloyd and Logie. Dujon and the tailenders also gave enough support to Lloyd, who was ninth out for 103, made in 320 minutes and including only seven boundaries, for the West Indian innings to stretch beyond lunch on the fourth day. Kapil Dev extended his list of fine bowling performances by taking six for 77.

India were 145 for five at the end of the fourth day and the match seemed to be heading for a quiet draw when Marshall sparked it back to life by taking three wickets in eleven balls. With four hours and twenty minutes still left India had declined to 166 for eight, but Binny and Madan Lal halted the collapse.