Today marks the 42nd death anniversary of an Indian cricketing great, Vinoo Mankad, who played Test cricket until he was almost 42.

He played in 44 of India& #39;s first 57 Tests. India won 5, drew 30 & lost 22.

We present you Mankad& #39;s immense contributions in ALL 5 wins.

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Win #1 v England, 5th Test Madras 1952

India had not won a Test in their first 24 attempts over 20 years (with a large break around WWII).

With hardly any assistance on a Day 1 pitch, Mankad took 8-55 (then best bowling figures for India) to bowl England out for 266.

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With all Top 8 reaching 20, India posted 457/9d. Umrigar (last min selection due to Adhikari& #39;s wrist injury) top-scored with 130*; & Roy also registered a century (111).

Mankad& #39;s 4-53 (& Ghulam& #39;s 4-77) sealed the Test by an inns & 8 runs.

India& #39;s first EVER Test win!

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The win over England in Madras in 1952 also meant that India drew a Test series for the first time ever.

Mankad& #39;s 12-108 was the first 10-wicket in a Test for an Indian bowler. In fact, Mankad would also take India& #39;s 2nd 10-for later in 1952, yet another historic win.

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Win #2 v Pakistan, 1st Test Delhi 1952

This was Pakistan& #39;s inaugural Test, with 9 Test debutants (since Kardar & Elahi played for India before).

With Adhikari top-scoring (81*) and useful fifties from Hazare (76) & Ghulam (50), India posted 372 on a turning wicket.

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Despite a strong opening stand (64) between Hanif & Nazar, Pakistan were bowled out for 150, with Mankad taking 8-52 in 47 overs (new best for India, Mankad breaking his own).

Mankad& #39;s 5-79 (13-wM!) & Ghulam& #39;s 4-35 in the 2nd inns sealed the Test by an inns & 70 runs.

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Win #3 v Pakistan, 3rd Test Bombay 1952

With Hazare, Adhikari & Mankad missing the 2nd Test, Pakistan levelled the series, largely on the back of Fazal& #39;s 12-94 on a jute-matting wicket in Lucknow.

With Waqar Hasan& #39;s 81, Pakistan managed 186 (from 60-6 at one stage).

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Following his 3-52, Mankad scored 41 out of 55 in the opening partnership. With Top 6 exceeding 30 on a sporting turf, India posted a formidable 387/4d (Hazare 146* & Umrigar 102).

With Pakistan on 166-1, Mankad took the next 5 wickets (215-6) to bowl Pak out for 242.

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Chasing a modest target of 42, Mankad made 35* to lead India to a 10 wkt victory.

It was yet another, & #39;player of the match& #39; worthy performance from Mankad. This, in fact, was his & #39;smallest& #39; contribution ever in an Indian win: 3-52 & 5-72 with ball & 41 & 35* with bat.

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It is worth noting that Mankad sent down 90 overs (not for the 1st time) in total in his & #39;least contributed& #39; Indian Test win, in addition to scoring 76 runs opening the batting (only out once).

With the next 2 Tests drawn, this was India& #39;s first ever Test series win.

[10 of 18]
With the unassailable series lead in the 3rd Test, Mankad became the 1st player since WWII to complete the 100 wickets & 1000 runs double (then fastest ever in 23 Tests).

Mankad finished 1952 with 51 wickets for the calendar year (5th ever, 1st outside of Aus-Eng).

[11 of 18]
Win #4 v New Zealand, 2nd Test Bombay 1955

India went 3 years without a win (in 13 Tests) before Mankad equalled the highest individual score for India (223, set by Umrigar in the previous Test).

Kripal Singh& #39;s 63 was the only other notable score in India& #39;s 421/8d.

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NZ offered little resistance as the match went on: all out for 258 & 136, losing by an inns & 27 runs.

Though Gupte starred with the ball (3-83 & 5-45); Mankad also made more than useful contributions with 1-29 & 3-57 to complete another fine all-round performance.

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Win #5 v New Zealand, 5th Test Madras 1956

In the final Test, India& #39;s openers set a World record partnership of 413 (surpassing 359 by Hutton & Washbrook v SA in 1948).

Also, surpassed FC record of 293 by an Indian opening pair (Merchant & Mankad v Sussex in 1946).

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Mankad& #39;s 231 was also the highest individual Test score by an Indian until Gavaskar& #39;s 236* v WI in the same city ~28 years later.

Despite batting cautiously v spin, NZ could only manage 209 & 219.

India& #39;s 2nd win by an inns (& 109) margin completed a 2-0 series win.

[15 of 18]
Gupte again starred with the ball (5-72 & 4-73); and Mankad produced another complete all-round performance: 0-32 & 4-65 with the ball, following his 231 that also took him past 2000 Test runs (3rd to complete the 2000 runs & 100 wickets double after Miller & Rhodes).

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From WWII to a year after NZ series win, Mankad played 42 of India& #39;s 45 Tests.

He produced standout & #39;player of the match& #39; worthy performances in each of India& #39;s 5 Test victory, until his retirement in Feb 1959: an impact of unprecedented magnitude for a young nation.

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The name & #39;Mankad& #39; does not deserve to be primarily associated with running out the non-striker for backing up too far.

It should bring to mind the great feats (such as twin entries at 1952 Lord& #39;s honours board) of a once in a lifetime cricketer, who was much admired.

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