The Lord of Lord’s: Dilip Vengsarkar and His Historic Feat

The story of Dilip Vengsarkar, the only non-Englishman to score three Test hundreds at Lord’s — and why he’s called the Lord of Lord’s.

Dilip Vengsarkar Centuries at Lords (Image Source: Google)

Interesting Cricket Records (Dilip Vengsarkar's Three Centuries at Lordsat Lord’s: A Record That Still Stands Alone):Let’s take a look at the batsmen who have scored three or more Test centuries at Lord’s, the iconic venue known as the Home of Cricket:

7 – Joe Root (England)

6 – Graham Gooch, Michael Vaughan (both England)

5 – Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Strauss (both England)

4 – Ian Bell, Alastair Cook, Allan Lamb (all England)

3 – Geoffrey Boycott, Denis Compton, John Edrich, Jack Hobbs, Nasser Hussain, Len Hutton, Matt Prior, Alec Stewart, Ben Stokes (all England), Dilip Vengsarkar (India)

So, who stands out? Quite clearly, it’s Dilip Vengsarkar — the only overseas player to have scored three Test hundreds at Lord’s, a feat unmatched even decades later. For this rare distinction, he is often called the "Lord of Lord’s."

A Class Apart

From the late 1970s to the late 1980s, Vengsarkar was among the most accomplished batsmen in the world. Between 1986 and 1988, he scored eight Test centuries in 16 matches. When the ICC introduced computer-based player rankings, he became the world’s first No. 1 Test batsman. In terms of consistency and elegance, he was the only Indian batsman who could match Sunil Gavaskar’s prolific run-scoring in that era.

As Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack rightly noted:

“Vengsarkar’s greatest claim to international fame is his achievement of being the only non-English batsman to score three Test hundreds at Lord’s.”

In 1987, Wisden named him one of the Cricketers of the Year, writing:

“… And this tall, elegant batsman reached his zenith in the summer of 1986 when his two hundreds, one at Lord's and another at Headingley, on one of the poorest Test pitches seen in England for some years, helped India achieve a 2-0 series win. He finished with an average of 90, by far the highest for any Indian batsman in England. Any suspicion that these runs came against a weak England side can be dismissed. In each instance, Vengsarkar came in at the fall of the second wicket and was still short of his century when joined by the No. 11 batsman. These were innings of the highest quality.”

Despite his remarkable record, Vengsarkar never quite received the recognition or accolades he deserved — even in India. He was a batsman of grace, responsibility, and effortless charm.

Dilip Vengsarkar's Three Centuries at Lord’s

1979 – 103 vs England

Vengsarkar began his love affair with Lord’s by scoring a fine 103, sharing a 210-run partnership with Gundappa Viswanath to help India save the Test after trailing by 323 runs in the first innings. He batted for nearly six hours, hitting 13 boundaries and was named Player of the Match.

1982 – 157 vs England

Coming in with India at 67/2 on Day 4, Vengsarkar counterattacked with brilliant strokeplay. His 157, scored in 331 minutes with 21 fours, is still considered one of the finest innings played at Lord’s. Partnering with Yashpal Sharma, he frustrated the English bowlers until Bob Willis ripped through the lower order. Still, Vengsarkar’s innings stood out for its elegance and defiance.

1986 – 126 not out vs England*

His third consecutive hundred at Lord’s — a unique feat for any visiting batsman. He remained unbeaten on 126, striking 16 fours in a 326-minute masterclass. Rarely playing a false shot, it is widely regarded as his finest Lord’s performance. He also scored a valuable 33 in the second innings, top-scoring in both innings and playing a crucial role in India’s historic Test win.

In this Test, he was on 81 when Kiran More (No. 10) joined him. Then came Maninder Singh (No. 11) with Vengsarkar on 95. Both tailenders hung on long enough to allow Vengsarkar to reach his milestone — making him the first overseas player to score three Test hundreds at Lord’s, joining an elite list that included only Englishmen until then.

An Unmatched Legacy

“The true test of batsmanship is making runs in England,” wrote Wisden, “where conditions can change with a passing cloud.”

Dilip Balwant Vengsarkar, born April 6, 1956, passed that test in style.

In India’s historic 2-0 Test series win in 1986, he was the Player of the Series, scoring 340 runs at an average of 90 in six innings. His contribution remains one of Indian cricket’s most underrated yet legendary performances on English soil.

1990 – A Rare Miss

In his fourth appearance at Lord’s, Vengsarkar was eyeing an unprecedented fourth consecutive century at the venue. He fell short, scoring 52 — still a solid knock, but not quite enough to extend his record.