Modern limited-overs cricket is overwhelmingly dominated by aggressive strokeplay, where spectators routinely anticipate boundary-filled overs and record-breaking quick fifties or centuries. While batting records continue to tumble in contemporary white-ball matches, one historical record from the inaugural era of one-day international cricket stands out for the complete opposite reason, remaining an unwanted feat that no current cricketer would ever want beside their name.
The 1975 World Cup encounter in London
The landmark slow innings took place during the 1975 World Cup when India locked horns with England in London. In an era where modern strike rates define a batter's value and market stature, former Indian batting stalwart Sunil Gavaskar produced an innings that finished with a strike rate of just 20.68. To this day, cricket historians view that performance as arguably the sluggish knock ever witnessed in the history of one-day international cricket.
Chasing 335, Gavaskar stayed unbeaten on 36 from 174 balls
Batting first in London, England made the most of their conditions and piled up a commanding total of 334 runs for the loss of 4 wickets in their 60 overs. A target of 335 runs was considered practically unassailable during the mid-1970s. When India began the run chase, Sunil Gavaskar walked out to open the batting and remained at the crease until the very end. Over the course of 174 deliveries, he managed just 36 runs without being dismissed. By the conclusion of their 60 overs, India crawled to 132 runs for 3 wickets, handing England a comprehensive victory by 202 runs.
Factors that shaped the crawl at the crease
There is little doubt that Sunil Gavaskar himself took no pride in the bizarre statistical outcome of that match. Several circumstances contributed to how that day unfolded on the pitch. In 1975, one-day cricket was still an unfamiliar format played over 60 overs per side, and players routinely approached it with traditional Test-match instincts rather than modern white-ball aggression.
Faced with an imposing target of 335 runs, the Indian camp felt that a successful chase was practically out of reach from the opening overs. In response, Gavaskar treated the outing more like prolonged match practice to spend valuable time in the middle. Furthermore, he was struggling with lean batting form leading into the encounter, which prompted him to prioritize defensive survival over playing high-risk shots against the English bowling attack.
