They were labelled as the best travelling side of the 21st century and following a top show Down Under, Team India were on the cusp of further stamping that authority. They were just one step away from taming the Three Lions in their own backyard in the much-anticipated 2021 Test series but Covid-19 had other plans.
With India leading the Test series 2-1, a win or even a draw in the 5th and final Test in Manchester would have made Virat Kohli's men the first Indian side to have won a Test series in England since 2007. But the Covid-19 outbreak in the Indian camp ensured the match was postponed.
10 months after that, Rohit Sharma's men are ready to finish what Virat's team started but before that, let's relive the highlights of the 4 Tests gone by.
1st Test
After bowling out the hosts for a mere 183, India managed to score 278 in the first innings. Joe Root's gritty hundred brought his side back into the contest but Jasprit Bumrah's 5-wicket haul meant that England were all out for 303 in the 2nd innings. India were the favourite to win the Test after ending Day 4 at 52/1, but rain proved to be the villain on the final day and England got away with a draw.
2nd Test
The visitors finished what was left to accomplish in the opening game in the 2nd Test at Lord's. Propelled by KL Rahul's magnificent 129 and Mohammed Siraj's 8-wicket haul in the match, India beat England by 151 runs to go 1-0 up. The standout performers though were Mohammed Shami and Bumrah. Not just with the ball but with the bat as well. The duo came to India's rescue in the second innings with an 89-run 9th-wicket stand, a partnership that turned the game on its head.
3rd Test
The Three Lions roared back in Leeds. After blowing away Kohli's men for a mere 78 in the 1st innings, England posted a mammoth 432 in return. India couldn't recover from their 1st innings debacle and were bundled for 278 in the 2nd innings. England won the game by an innings and 76 runs to level the series 1-1.
4th Test
The Oval Test was deemed the most crucial Test of the series and it turned out to be a blockbuster. After being all out for 191, India bundled out England for 290. Though England were still ahead, the hosts had no clue about what was to come. Rohit Sharma set up the fightback with 127 but it was the lower order which broke England's back. Rishabh Pant and Shardul Thakur scored a half-century each and powered India to 466. A magical performance with the ball followed and the hosts were bundled out for 210. Kohli's men had taken a 2-1 lead, they were on the brink of a historic series win before Covid played spoilsport.