Cricket history is full of remarkable records, but some achievements stand so tall that they remain untouched for decades. One such extraordinary record belongs to India’s legendary left-arm spinner Bapu Nadkarni, who bowled 21 consecutive maiden overs in a Test match — a feat that still stands unmatched.
This historic moment took place on January 12, 1964, during the first Test match between India and England at the Corporation Stadium in Madras (now Chennai).
A Spell That Left the World Stunned
With England batting in their first innings, Indian captain Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi handed the ball to Bapu Nadkarni. What followed was nothing short of cricketing magic.
Known for his exceptional line, length, and control, Nadkarni began delivering dot ball after dot ball. England’s batsmen, including Brian Close and Ken Barrington, found themselves completely stuck at the crease.
Overs kept passing. Five. Ten. Fifteen. Then twenty.
Still no runs.
Nadkarni eventually completed 21 consecutive maiden overs, meaning the English batsmen failed to score even a single run off 131 deliveries.
Numbers That Still Feel Unreal
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21 consecutive maiden overs (world record)
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131 dot balls in a row
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32 overs bowled, 27 maidens
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Only 5 runs conceded in the entire spell
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Economy rate: just 0.15
Surprisingly, despite this historic spell, Nadkarni did not take a single wicket. Yet his bowling completely strangled England’s scoring rate, putting immense pressure on the batting side.
Bapu Nadkarni’s Career at a Glance
Bapu Nadkarni represented India in 41 Test matches, taking 88 wickets. He was also a capable batsman, scoring 1,414 Test runs, including one century and seven half-centuries.
In 191 first-class matches, he claimed 500 wickets and scored 8,880 runs, featuring 14 centuries and 46 fifties — proving his value as a true all-round cricketer.
Bapu Nadkarni passed away in 2020, but his legendary bowling spell remains one of the most astonishing records in cricket history.
