Cricket has evolved a lot since its inception, but the Test format has its own charm. However, as of 2023, only 12 teams have been awarded Test status by the ICC.
One of them is the formidable India, which has risen through the ranks by challenging some of the mighty opponents.
The one important aspect of playing Tests is facing the opponents at home venues or on away tours. Winning a Test match is a remarkable event for any team, but winning their first Test series in a particular country tops it all.
In this article, we’ll look at India’s first Test series wins in all countries.
India’s First Test Series Wins in All Countries
| Countries | First Test Series Win (Year) | Margin (Total Matches) | Against |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 1952 | 2-1 (5) | Pakistan |
| New Zealand | 1968 | 3-1 (4) | New Zealand |
| West Indies | 1971 | 1-0 (5) | West Indies |
| England | 1971 | 1-0 (3) | England |
| Sri Lanka | 1993 | 1-0 (3) | Sri Lanka |
| Bangladesh | 2000 | 1-0 (1) | Bangladesh |
| Pakistan | 2004 | 2-1 (3) | Pakistan |
| Zimbabwe | 2005 | 2-0 (2) | Zimbabwe |
| Australia | 2018-19 | 2-1 (4) | Australia |
Key Insights
India made its Test debut in 1932, but it took them almost 20 years to win their first Test match. In 1952, India defeated England in the Chennai Test match, registering their first Test match win.
Later that same year, India also registered its first Test series victory at home against their neighbour Pakistan. This was Pakistan’s debut Test series after getting Test status.
India’s first overseas series win came against New Zealand in New Zealand. In 1968, India toured the island country for the first time for a 4-match Test series and returned home with a series win by 3-1.
1971 was a remarkable year in Indian cricket history, as the team marked their first Test series victories in the West Indies and England. India had toured the West Indies twice before 1971, but they managed to win the series on their third trip by 1-0.
On the other hand, the Indian Test team took over 39 years to register their first Test series win in England, and that too after 6 consecutive series defeats.
Moving on to their neighbouring countries, India’s first Test series in Sri Lanka came in 1993. This was India’s second tour of the island country, and they thumped the hosts by 1-0.
In 2000, Bangladesh got its Test status, and they played their first Test against India at their home. However, India defeated the Bangla Tigers in the one-off Test rather easily, and the Indian men registered their series victory in Bangladesh.
India had toured Pakistan in 2004 for a 3-match series after a gap of 14 years. Before this series, India hadn’t won a single Test match, let alone a series victory. But this time they won their first match and first series in Pakistan.
India last played a Test series against Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe way back in 2005. And that was the same year when the Indian team won their first series in the African country.
The Indian Test team toured Australia 11 times between 1947 and 2015 without winning a series, though they came close to registering a series win 3 times. But when they toured down under in 2018-19, the Indian men returned home by scripting history. India beat the Aussies by 2-1 in their home after a long wait of 72 years.
India became the first Asian country to win Test series in New Zealand, the West Indies, England, and Australia.
South Africa remains the only country where the Men in Blue haven’t yet registered a series victory. And they are yet to play in Ireland and Afghanistan, though it’s highly likely India will tour the latter country due to political and security conditions in the near future.
