INDIA, September 13, 2023 (Scroll): Until 1971, India had never won a Test match in England (they had drawn 4 – twice because of rain – and lost 15). In 1971, India was saved by rain in the first two Test matches (though they probably walked away with honors [meaning they played well but still lost] even at Lord’s). Then, at The Oval (a cricket field in South London) England secured a 71-run first-innings lead. The fourth day of the Test match coincided with Ganesh Chaturthi, and local Indian fans arranged for Bella, a three-year-old elephant from Chessington Zoo, to parade around the ground at lunch. England collapsed for 101. India scripted history the next day with what is possibly their most famous win.

To read much more from The Great Indian Cricket Circus: Amazing Facts, Stats and Everything in Between, by Joy Bhattacharjya and Abhishek Mukherjee, see source.

https://scroll.in/article/1055746/when-indian-fans-got-an-elephant-to-the-oval-because-a-cricket-match-coincided-with-ganesh-chaturthi

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