With three out of the first four Test matches resulting in draws and India having won the other one, the two teams travelled to Madras (now Chennai) for the fifth Test match.
It turned out to be a dominant victory for India, even though Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat. Majid Khan top-scored with 56. There were useful contributions from Sadiq Mohammad and Javed Miandad as well, but India managed to restrict Pakistan to 272, Kapil Dev taking 4-90.
When India batted, captain Sunil Gavaskar set the example, making 166. Kapil, batting at No. 8, scored 84 with a six and 11 fours, helping India close on 430 and take a first innings lead of 158.
Pakistan initially floundered in their second innings. At one stage they were 58/5, until a stand of 89 between Wasim Raja (57) and Miandad (52) helped give the scoreboard an air of respectability as they were dismissed for 233. Kapil continued his fine match, taking 7-56 this time.
He finished with 11-146 in the match along with his 84, while Gavaskar got a big hundred. It was a rare instance of India's two greatest cricketers of the era living up to their reputations in the same Test match.
India needed just 76 to win, which they reached without losing a wicket, Chetan Chauhan 46 not out at the end. India won by ten wickets.
The series concluded with the sixth Test match, at Eden Gardens in Kolkata (then Calcutta).
This time India batted, having won the toss, they made 331, largely thanks to the efforts of the middle-order pair of Sandeep Patil and Yashpal Sharma, both of whom scored 62. Gavaskar made 44 this time. Imran Khan was the most successful Pakistani bowler, with 4-67.
Pakistan responded well. Opener Taslim Arif making 90, and Majid Khan, Javed Miandad and Wasim Raja all scored fifties. However, in the hope of forcing a result, they declared on 272/4, looking to bowl out India cheaply in their second innings.
At 48/4 it looked like those hopes might be realised, but runs from the middle and lower orders helped India to 205, Imran claiming 5-63. Pakistan needed 265 to win.
Arif and Miandad made 46 apiece, but Pakistan were struggling at 179/6 when time ran out in the game, and another draw was declared. Before that, the Eden Gardens gave a standing ovation to Pakistan captain Asif Iqbal in his last Test match.