Dilip Vengsarkar

London: Sir Jack Hobbs and Michael Vaughan have had three Test hundreds in as many innings at Lord’s, but former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar is the only one to score a hundred in three consecutive appearances (1979, 1982, 1986). The 51-year-old chief selector, who played 116 Tests (6,868 runs, 17x100) and 129 ODIs (3,508 runs, 1x100), has been in England for some days and is going to remain with Team India through the Test series. He had a one-on-one with The Telegraph on Wednesday evening.

The following are excerpts

On whether he’s surprised that his record of hundreds in three consecutive Tests at Lord’s is intact

Well, yes and no… Yes, because records are meant to be broken and I’m sure somebody will break my record… At the same time, nowadays, you won’t have a situation where one team tours England thrice in seven years… For example, our last visit was in 2002… So, if you take an average career into account, the opportunities are somewhat less.

On Lord’s as a venue

Oh, it’s difficult to describe… The aura is too much… I had goose pimples while walking through the Long Room yesterday… Everything about Lord’s is special and, believe me, I’ve never walked on a better grass… It’s not another cricket ground and, when it’s a full house, the atmosphere is electric.

On whether he was under pressure on his fourth appearance, in 1990

Indeed, I was.. Everybody wanted me to score another hundred… I got 52 and 35… In the first innings, I’d certainly been looking to get a hundred… Trying to flick, I got out to a long-hop from Angus Fraser… I shouldn’t have.

On his first hundred at Lord’s (103 in the second innings, 1979)

I’d wanted to silence the critics who’d felt I wouldn’t succeed in England… Many had written me off, saying my front-foot style of play wouldn’t get me runs… I got a duck in the first innings and, while walking out the second time, told myself I must get at least one run. I wouldn’t, after all, like to be remembered as somebody who got a pair on his first Test appearance at Lord’s! That hundred helped us draw the Test… (Gundappa Viswanath) Vishy also got a hundred and we had a significant partnership.

On his second hundred (157 in the second innings, 1982)

Having scored a mere 128 in the first innings, we were fighting a losing battle… We were made to follow-on and had I continued, I could have helped save the Test… I got out to a top-edge off Bob Willis… He’d been bowling with the second new ball… Actually, I’d been looking good for a double… The bigger regret, of course, is that I couldn’t save the match…

On his third hundred (126 not out in the first innings, 1986)

Remains very special as we won that Test and went on to win the series… The openers (Sunil Gavaskar, Krishnamachari Srikkanth) went pretty early and Mohinder Amarnath and I had to put together a big partnership… Later, Kiran More also played a hand… The partnerships helped us take a (47-run) lead and that proved very handy… Kapil (Dev) bowled brilliantly in the second innings.

On what gave more satisfaction — the hattrick of hundreds or the Test win

The Test win… A first at Lord’s… Hopefully, we can do it again this time.

On neither the legendary Gavaskar nor Sachin Tendulkar having a hundred at Lord’s

(Grins) Sunil was a great batsman and Sachin is one… I’m sure not having had a hundred at Lord’s is at the back of his mind…

Finally, on tips for the present-day batters

The wicket at Lord’s is a beauty and, once it has settled down, you’ve got to get a handsome score… At the biggest venue, think big.

Footnote: Vengsarkar, who is an honorary life member of the MCC, has one of his India blazers displayed in the Long Room. “I donated it last year… I’d been thinking it’s in the Lord’s museum…” He’s not complaining, though.