And yet, the win against England in the 1971 series has a special place in India's cricket history.

It was by no means India's first win against its erstwhile colonial masters -- that happened way back in 1952, at the Chepauk Stadium in Madras.

It was not even India's first overseas series win -- Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi's team achieved that when they beat New Zealand in 1968.

It was not, either, the first time that particular team led by Ajit Wadekar had tasted victory -- in fact, just ahead of the England series, the same team had produced a spectacular win over the West Indies in the Caribbean. And yet... and yet...

Perhaps the special cachet accorded to the Oval victory of August 24, 1971, owes to the fact that on six previous occasions, Indian teams had toured England and returned empty-handed.

Perhaps it lay in the fact that England was, at that time, rated the best team in the world, and India the worst. In the fact that India went into that win with just two series wins abroad to show for four decades of cricket -- while England had not lost a Test since being beaten by Australia in June 1968, had remained unbeaten over 26 Tests including series wins over West Indies at home, and an Ashes win against Australia in Australia.

David defeating Goliath is, after all, always good box office.

Perhaps it is that with this win, Indian cricket grew up, and took its place among the big boys. Till then, India, along with Pakistan and New Zealand, were considered the minnows, the second-rung teams, while England, Australia, West Indies and South Africa were the 'grown ups', the glamour teams.

The 1971 tour held promise right from the outset as Wadekar's team, fresh from a win against the mighty Caribbeans, rolled roughshod over all opposition in the tour games.

The first two Tests failed to yield results, though India came within five boundary hits of pulling off a famous win at Lord's.

The third Test, at the Oval, seemed to be going the other way, after India conceeded a 71-run first innings lead in what looked like being a low scoring game.

And then came August 23, 1971. Day four of the Test, with England beginning on 23 for no loss, an overall lead of 94 runs with all wickets in hand. The home side batted easily through the morning until, 10 minutes before lunch, Wadekar tossed the ball to Bhagwat Chandrashekar.

It was a desperation ploy. Chandra had come in to that tour literally from the cold -- for three and a half years prior to this series, he had failed to find a place in the Indian team. Too unpredictable, was the verdict on the unorthodox leg spinner.

What followed was sheer magic -- in one of the most unplayable spells of bowling in the annals of cricket, Chandra made the ball explode off the deck to claim six for 38 and skittle England out for 101 -- their lowest ever score against India.

India chased 173 in the fourth innings -- and just to heighten the drama a touch, Sunil Gavaskar, who had set the Caribbean alight with a record-breaking run of scores in his debut series just previously, recorded his first ever duck in Tests. India then settled down to tick off the runs -- but again, off the first ball of the final morning, skipper Wadekar managed to run himself out with his side still needing 97 to force the win.

Wadekar went back to the pavilion, and went to sleep. At 2.42 pm -- and for those who believe in omens, it was Ganesh Chathurthi back in India -- Wadekar was woken up to be given the news that Abid Ali had just square-cut Luckhurst to the boundary to seal the historic triumph.

It was a coming of age, for Indian cricket.