Wasn't this too Mankad's Test?

Bowling unchanged, Mankad’s left-arm spin tore the fabric of Pakistan’s batting to shreds – from 64 for no loss to 150 all out, Mankad 8 for 52 in 47 overs of which 27 were maidens. His first victim was Israr Ali, who came in at No. 3, then Imtiaz the wicket-keeper followed by Maqsood, Kardar, Anwar Hussain, Hanif, Waqar and Khan Mohammad, Ghulam Ahmed claiming last man Elahi.

It was a fantastic display of left-arm spin. The control over spin and flight, the impeccable length, the accuracy and the variety through the use of the armer, were all there to admire. Mankad was at his imperious best as he proceeded to prove to the world that there was no better left-arm spinner at that time.

Mankad wasn’t finished. As Pakistan followed on, Amarnath, realising the stranglehold Mankad had on the Pakistanis and the deteriorating wicket, brought him and Ghulam on early – just after 10 overs for the shine to come off. The first innings hero for Pakistan had been Hanif who had made 51 of the 150 scored. Second time around wasn’t lucky for him as he was bowled by Amarnath for 1. Despite Imtiaz (who didn’t keep wickets in this Test, Hanif did) and Kardar’s determined 40’s and a late flourish by Fazal Mahmood (27), Mankad and Ghulam proved too much to handle.

For the second time in the match Mankad took five wickets (24.2-3-79-5) to take his tally to 13 wickets. Ghulam, the tall and lanky, off-spinner from Hyderabad whose half-century had given the Indian bowlers runs on the board, too had a fine spell, taking four for 35 off 23 overs.

When Ramchand caught Elahi off Mankad, Pakistan, bowled out for 152 had lost their first-ever Test against India by an innings and 70 runs.

It is a well known fact that bowlers win matches – many more times than batting exploits do. Yet cricket remains a batsman’s game. Batting exploits are remembered and glorified but bowling feats are taken for granted. If a century is a landmark for a batsman, five wickets in a Test innings is the equivalent for a bowler. Mankad’s feat against England in 1952 was no doubt great – a century and a five wicket haul and deserved to be remembered as 'Mankad’s Test' (72 and 184 plus 5 for 196 in 73 overs) but India lost that Test by eight wickets despite his heroics.

Whilst Mankad failed with the bat at Delhi, he bowled magnificiently to take 13 wickets in the match and led India to a historic victory against their arch-rivals.

Why shouldn’t this be remembered as yet another 'Mankad’s Test'?