WATCH: Throwback to Kapil Dev slamming four consecutive sixes to save follow-on against England at Lord’s on OTD in 1990

30 July 1990. India tour of England, 1^st Test. The match went down in the history books as England won by 247 runs. But for the true cricket fans, the match is also about an iconic knock by legendary India all-rounder Kapil Dev at Lord’s. India required 24 runs to save the follow-on and Kapil's calculated assault against Eddie Hemmings did the needful for the visitors at Lord’s.  

Invited to bat first, England amassed a humongous first innings score of 653 before declaring. Captain Graham Gooch led the charge with a mammoth 333 off 485 balls. Allan Lamb (139) and Robin Smith (100*) also contributed with their respective centuries.

Openers Navjot Sidhu and Ravi Shastri provided a fine start for India with a 63-run partnership. Shastri’s hundred and Dilip Vengsarkar’s half-century laid a strong foundation for India, but to surpass England’s first-innings score, they still had to travel an unfathomable distance.

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Kapil Dev's audacious four-ball knock caught the eye

However, at this point, India's sole objective was to avoid the follow-on. Captain Mohammad Azharuddin and Kapil Dev later took responsibility. With 78 more runs to avoid the follow-on, Azharuddin, who was batting on 121, was dismissed by Eddie Hemmings. The gate opened for the tailenders and India lost a couple of more wickets to see themselves reeling at 430-9.

Leg-spinner Narendra Hirwani walked out to bat as the last man. India needed 24 runs to save the follow-on and Kapil decided to take a risk against Hemmings. The right-hander blocked the first two balls and saved the energy to dispatch the next four balls into the stands over the bowler’s head. 

Watch the video below: 

#OnThisDay in 1990, at Lord's India req 24 runs to save the follow on, Kapil was at the crease with the last man at the other end.



Here’s what Kapil paaji did...



Hemmings to Dev 6,6,6,6



Epic moment in Indian cricket

🇮🇳👊🏽



Watch 👇🏽 pic.twitter.com/jTOpUkM0Ny

— atul kasbekar (@atulkasbekar) August 1, 2018

India, thus avoided the follow-on by a single run in an enchanting fashion. However, England added 272 more runs to their score tally and set a massive 472-run target for the visitors. This time, there were no heroics from Shastri, Azharuddin or Kapil as India were dismissed for 224 runs.  

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