June and England, the month and the country has serious implications for the Indian cricket enthusiast. It all started this month at Lords some 77 years ago. Again, 26 years earlier it was on June 25, 1983 that India reached world cricket?s summit. Come June 21 2009, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has yet another chance to script history, which, if achieved, it can be conjectured, will surpass all previous achievements by India?s cricketing stalwarts.

This is how India?s first Test match was described in the contemporary media, ?The first Test match between England and India at Lords had a sensational opening and at the close of play on Saturday the honours rested with India, whose fine bowling and splendid fielding dismissed a strong England side for 259. Nissar and Naidu bowled splendidly.?

Not many of the twenty four thousand who had gathered at Lords to watch India play England in her debut Test match in June 1932 had expected that within an hour of the start the hosts would be tottering at 19-3. The big guns, Sutcliffe, Holmes and Wooley, were all back in the hut and surely India had entered Test match cricket with a bang. And what was most interesting was that there was hardly any element of luck involved. It was quality cricket; excellent bowling and smart fielding that resulted in rousing warm applause from all present at Lords. Wooley?s run out by Lall Singh, warmly applauded by all present, would have even made Jonty Rhodes proud. Wooley was, as the London Times described, ?smartly run out through misjudging the catlike swiftness with which Lall Singh pounced on the ball and returned it to the wicket. The Indians had thus far confounded the cricket prophets who were wondering how big England?s total would be.?

But as was the story with Indian cricket till off late, the English were let off the hook. Jardine and Hammond consolidated the innings, the century partnership for the fourth wicket gradually taking the game away from India.

Even at 149-5, India had a chance to finish things off, which they did by the end of the day for 259. Mohammed Nissar had taken India?s first five for in Test match cricket for 93. The second day saw a radical reversal of fortunes with India collapsing for a poor 189 conceding a 70 run lead, which proved vital in the end with England winning the match by 168 runs.

Despite the loss, it was quite apparent that India, with Nayudu, Nissar, Amarsingh and others would soon prove a force to reckon with, something that ultimately happened 51 years later in 1983 when Kapil?s devil beat the West Indies to become World Champions. The day ? June 25, Indian cricket?s red letter day forever. This was more so because Kapil?s team started the tournament as rank outsiders with not even the diehard Indian fan giving them a chance to make the semi-finals. Yet they achieved the unbelievable, a victory that still ranks as Indian cricket?s greatest of all time.

It is perhaps fitting to imagine what will happen if Dhoni and his men manage to defend their title at Lords on 21 June 2009. In such a scenario, this is how The Financial Express might report the moment: ?With Ishant having cleaned up Oram and McCullum, the Indians became vocal again. ?If only we had Zaheer!? was the chorus. A section of the crowd lamented, ?India should have played Zaheer in place of RP Singh. He is a far better performer and even if partially down with injury is a big match player.?

By the time the game was over, some of the Indian fans had lost it completely. Having gulped a beer one too many, some were soundly asleep when Dhoni and his men started their victory lap. The long room, for the first time in its history, was witness to bhangra and all over St John?s Wood, it was a carnival. The kabab shops did brisk business and the ICC head honchos looked relaxed, knowing full well that the coffers, amidst recession and economic gloom, were full. World T-20, from all standpoints, is a success.?

The writer is a cricket historian