Dilip Vengsarkar: The Colonel of India's Middle Order
Dilip Vengsarkar scored 6,868 Test runs for India at an average of 42.13, and was the only batsman to score three consecutive Test centuries at Lord's — earning the nickname Colonel from the Lord's members.
India's Lord's Specialist
Dilip Vengsarkar played 116 Tests for India between 1976 and 1992, scoring 6,868 runs at an average of 42.13 with 17 centuries. He was the bedrock of India's middle order through much of the 1980s — technically correct, capable of adapting to conditions, and particularly effective against pace bowling on seaming pitches. In an era when most Indian batsmen struggled in England, Vengsarkar thrived.
Three Lord's Hundreds
Vengsarkar's record at Lord's was phenomenal. He scored centuries there in 1979, 1982 and 1986 — the only batsman in history to score three consecutive Test hundreds at the ground. Lord's members gave him the nickname 'Colonel' in recognition. He made the seaming conditions at the Home of Cricket look comfortable in a way few visiting batsmen ever have.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Dilip Vengsarkar called Colonel?
Lord's Cricket Ground members gave Vengsarkar the nickname Colonel after he scored three consecutive Test centuries at the ground in 1979, 1982 and 1986 — a record that still stands.