Honestly, if you missed the India vs England 2021 calendar, you missed one of the most chaotic, high-stakes years in modern cricket history. It wasn't just a couple of matches. It was two massive tours, a global pandemic, and a series of "did that really just happen?" moments that ended up stretching into 2022.
Remember the pink-ball Test in Ahmedabad that finished in under two days? Or the absolute drama at Lord’s where India’s tail-enders basically bullied the English bowlers?
This year was a rollercoaster. It started with Joe Root sweeping India into oblivion in Chennai and ended with a postponed fifth Test that left fans in limbo for months. We saw the rise of Axar Patel as a nightmare for English batters and witnessed Rishabh Pant playing shots that should only be possible in a video game.
The Turning Point in Chennai and the Rise of the Spin Twins
When England arrived in India early in 2021, they actually had the upper hand. Joe Root was in the form of his life, scoring a massive 218 in the first Test. England won by 227 runs, and for a second, it looked like they might actually pull off a historic series win on Indian soil.
Then everything changed.
India didn't just bounce back; they unleashed a spin-bowling assault that England simply couldn't handle. Ravichandran Ashwin and the newly debuted Axar Patel turned the MA Chidambaram Stadium and then the Narendra Modi Stadium into their own personal playgrounds.
Axar Patel's numbers were basically a joke. He took 27 wickets in just three matches. Think about that for a second. Every time he bowled, it felt like a wicket was coming. The third Test in Ahmedabad was particularly wild—England were bowled out for 112 and 81. India won by 10 wickets in what was the shortest completed Test match since 1935.
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Drama in England: A Series That Wouldn't End
By August, the scene shifted to England. This was a different beast. The ball was swinging, James Anderson was back in his element, and Virat Kohli was facing the ultimate leadership test.
The second Test at Lord’s is the stuff of legend now.
India was on the ropes on Day 5. Then, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami—two guys known for their bowling, not their batting—put on an unbeaten 89-run partnership for the ninth wicket. It completely deflated England. The verbal spats on the field only fueled the fire. India bowled England out in just 51.5 overs to win by 151 runs. You could literally see the passion on Kohli’s face; he was leading a team that refused to blink.
But then, the Manchester Test. The "forgotten" match of 2021.
A COVID-19 outbreak in the Indian camp saw the match cancelled just hours before it was supposed to start. It was a mess. Fans were already at the gates. The series was 2-1 in India's favor, but the result was left hanging. They eventually played that final match in 2022 at Edgbaston, which England won to "draw" the series 2-2, but in our hearts, that 2021 energy was a separate beast.
Key Stats You Probably Forgot
It's easy to remember the vibes, but the numbers from the India vs England 2021 tours are genuinely impressive.
Rohit Sharma was the silent hero for India in English conditions. He scored 368 runs in the away series, showing a level of discipline that many doubted he had in him. On the English side, Joe Root was a machine, finishing the year with 1,708 Test runs—one of the best calendar years any batter has ever had.
Mohammed Siraj also emerged as a superstar. His aggression and ability to bowl long spells at high speeds became India's secret weapon, especially when the senior bowlers needed a break.
Why the White-Ball Series Was Just as Wild
We often focus on the Tests, but the T20Is and ODIs in Pune and Ahmedabad were absolute fireworks.
In the 5-match T20I series, India trailed twice but eventually won 3-2. We saw the debut of Suryakumar Yadav, who famously hit his first ball in international cricket for a six off Jofra Archer. It was a sign of things to come.
The ODIs were high-scoring thrillers. In the second ODI, England chased down 337 in just 43.3 overs. Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes were hitting sixes like it was a practice session. India eventually took the series 2-1, but only after a nail-biting finish in the third ODI where Sam Curran nearly pulled off a miracle for England.
What This Series Taught Us About Modern Cricket
If you look back at India vs England 2021, it really defined the "new" India. This wasn't a team that just won at home. This was a team that went to England, looked James Anderson in the eye at Lord's, and didn't back down.
It also showed the vulnerability of the "rest rotation" policy that England was trying at the time. By switching players in and out of the bubble, they struggled to find a consistent rhythm against an Indian side that was, quite frankly, relentless.
Lessons for Fans and Analysts
- Home Advantage is Real but Not Absolute: England proved they could win in Chennai, and India proved they could dominate at Lord's and The Oval.
- Mental Strength Over Technique: India’s tail-enders at Lord’s didn't have the best technique, but they had the guts to stay at the crease.
- Spin Depth: The emergence of Axar Patel showed that India’s production line of spinners is nowhere near finished.
If you’re looking to dive deeper into the tactics used during this series, watching the highlights of the second Test at Lord’s or the pink-ball Test in Ahmedabad is a great place to start. You’ll see exactly how the momentum shifted not just through skill, but through sheer psychological pressure.
Keep an eye on the upcoming 2026 series schedules; the history between these two teams is only getting more intense.