India's highest team totals in Tests played at Headingley

The ongoing Test match at Leeds in Headingley has certainly led to a handsome first innings team total where it comes to India's batting. The 471, helped by three glowing centuries, one each by three critical young talents of the side, has pushed India to the direction where they can dictate terms against England.

But that's provided the bowlers lap it up and truth be told, they likely will.

Having said that, this beautiful barrage of runs that looks so daunting and critical to India's hopes for a first Test match win in this series, also leads us to ponder something important.

Where it comes to Headingley in Leeds, just what kind of best team totals have India amassed in the past?

India's highest team totals In Tests played at Headingley

India 628/8dec in 2002

Back in the 2000s, the team was comprised of great legends like Sourav Ganguly, the great VVS Laxman, often hugely unsung, and besides the batting maestro Tendulkar himself, the great wall of India - Rahul Dravid.

And on that occasion, now twenty three years ago at Headingley, the Wall stood tall to help his team to a burly 628 run team score in 2002.

In what a special occasion, Tendulkar made 193 brilliant runs at the venue, thus far, his highest individual score at Leeds, while his good friend Ganguly thudded 128 off 167 odd deliveries.

At the same time, Dravid grinded his way facing 307 deliveries for his 148.

In so doing, Indian batters overcame the stiff English challenge imposed by Hoggard, Caddick, Tudor, and even Flintoff and created a mountain of runs that eventually paved way for a win.

Kumble's four-for in England's second innings with the bat helped the team endlessly and at a vital time.

India 510 in 1967

In the year 1967, with India having played lots of Tests by that time in England, a mighty fine test match took place at Headingley with hosts England powered by giants of the game like Sir Geoff Boycott and Ken Barrington.

While Sir Geoff powered his way against a Prasanna, Wadekar, Pataudi-led attack on his way to a gargantuan 246 (555 deliveries), in reply, India made a fine team total in scoring 510, however, that wasn't after a follow on being imposed on the visitors.

The key architects for that massive team score of Indians were MAK Pataudi himself, scoring a dogged 148 before being out LBW, with key contributions coming in from the top order with Farokh Engineer scoring a sublime 87. Later on, the great Ajit Wadekar, at number three, scored a patient 91 off 208.

In the end, India despite fighting hard, lost by six wickets but ensured that they made England bat again.

India 471 in 2025

This current Test match and the way it is shaping up in England's Headingley totally signals the confident rise of a bold new generation of Indian cricketers with the likes of Pant, Gill, and Jaiswal having put the visitors on the driver's seat considering their blazing hundreds.

While Gill hit his first in England, Pant notched up his seventh in the Test format on the whole, while Jaiswal also struck a maiden Test century but when batting in English conditions.

This has, thus far, been the second-highest team test score by India. And we may even improve in the times to come.

India 293 in 1952

1952 still marked early days for Team India where it came to visiting England's shores for a Test match and then, seven decades back in the day, to score 293 too, wasn't a bad achievement.

With the game still evolving and team India still competing hard to forge a strong team, the men from the sub-continent arrived at Headingley with some glowing names in their ranks, namely - Vijay Hazare and Vijay Manjrekar, both of whom struck brilliant knocks of 89 and 133, respectively, to help India score a good total of 293.

But an English team with the mighty Len Hutton, Reg Simpson, and Godfrey Evans in their side made quite a few more and in the end, the Hazare-led side was defeated.