India has been the heart of cricket since the inception of this sport. The Britishers taught us this sport and since then we have made it our very own. Indian Cricket has always been on the top of its game after players like Sunil Gavaskar and Dilip Vengsarkar got associated with the sport. Even individuals such as Lala Amarnath, MAK Pataudi, and Raja Ranjit Singh have contributed to this wonderful sport. Indian Cricket has its legacy. A legacy filled with moments that defined the richness of our nation. Here is a look at the top 5 moments in Indian Cricket History: –
2013 India Win the Champions Trophy: –
2013 was one of the most historic years in Indian Cricket. This was the year that gave Indian cricket the trio of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Shikhar Dhawan. Since then, all three of them have become the backbone of India’s batting. 2013 Champions Trophy witnessed a young Indian Team dominate the global stage. The mastermind and leader of this team were Mahendra Singh Dhoni. After beating Sri Lanka and Australia comprehensively in the two practice matches, India went into the tournament on high morale. India started its campaign in a game against South Africa. And to the surprise of every Indian Cricket fan, Rohit Sharma opened the batting for the first time in an ICC tournament.
The duo of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma belted the bowlers throughout the tournament. Virat Kohli took care of the middle order and Dinesh Karthik handled the remainder of the batting. In the bowling department, the standout performer was Jadeja. Jadeja spun a web around the opposition batsmen. In tandem with Ashwin Jadeja won India the ICC trophy. And the golden voice of Harsha Bhogle followed, “Tredwell misses, Dhoni misses but it doesn’t matter, India are champions.”
2001 Border Gavaskar Series Eden Gardens Test: –
This test match is a must in the mention of iconic Indian moments in history. It only happens a few times that a team can win the game after following on the first innings with a lead of 300+ runs. And this is exactly what happened! India moved into this series as the favorites and Australia had come to conquer their “Final Frontier”. Australia beat India by an innings in the first test match at Wankhede. And were on their way to another victory in the second Eden Gardens Test Match. But Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman had other plans.
Adam Gilchrist still recalls one of the Aussie players pulling out a cigar and saying, “We’ll have a good time tomorrow after beating them”. But what happened the next day was heart-stopping. VVS Laxman walked out at number 3 and scored 281 runs. Rahul Dravid his companion scored 180+. The duo batted for 1 day without losing a wicket. Other memories of that match include Harbhajan Singh’s test hattrick and an amazing, match-winning bowling spell by Sachin Tendulkar.
2007 India Win First-Ever T20 World Cup: –
2007 was one roller coaster ride for Indian cricket. Battered and bruised after losing out in the group stages of the 2007 ODI World Cup, the Indian fans were outraged. The only thing that could soothe their pain was a miracle. This miracle happened and it happened in that year itself. A young Indian team was picked for the 2007 T20 World Cup. With the big boys and the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Dravid and Ganguly being rested the nation only thought of another defeated. But the young team was not going to go down so easily.
The fresh faces such as Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, Sreesanth, Yuvraj, and Bhajji stood up to the stage. They won the crucial moments for India, eventually winning the tournament. The moments that will be cherished for a long time will be the bowl-out against Pakistan in the first game, Yuvraj and his six sixes, Gautam Gambhir in the finals, Rohit Sharma’s inning in the final, Dinesh Karthik’s catch at second slip against South Africa, and Irfan Pathan’s spell in the final. Apart from this the Dhoni moment came where he handed the ball to Joginder Sharma for the ultimate over and Joginder won the game for the nation.
1983 India Wins ODI World Cup: –
India similarly won its first World Cup in 1983. A team with the name such as Krishnamachari Srikant, Kapil Dev, Mohinder Amarnath, Ravi Shastri, etc. This was a fearless team with no pressure or expectations. In the game against Zimbabwe when Indians were stranded at 17/5, Kapil Dev played the best Day innings of all time. His 175 was going to stay for years to come. Unfortunately, on that day, the BBC was on strike and the game was not covered in the air.
In the finals, the Indians were asked to bat on a green-top wicket. The team somehow scampered for 180+ runs and the Windies came to bat. And after a wonderful bowling performance, India won! One can never forget Kapil Dev’s running catch to dismiss Viv Richards and Mohinder Amarnath’s dream spell in the final. The streets will never forget this team that changed the face of Indian cricket.
Honorable Mentions: –
- 2020-2021 Border Gavaskar Trophy.
- 2003 Natwest Trophy Final.
- 2008 Commonwealth Bank Series Final.
2011 India Wins ODI World Cup: –
2011 has to be on top. Indian team playing a One Day International World Cup in India and winning it is the greatest moment. The tournament was an amazing event altogether. From defeating Bangladesh comprehensively in the first game to tying the game with England. From defeating Aussies in the quarters to beating arch-rivals Pakistan in the Semis at Mohali. The greatest moments of this World Cup include Sehwag’s 175 against Bangladesh, Sachin’s hundred against England, Yuvraj’s performance against Ireland and Netherlands, Yuvi’s hundred against Windies. Furthermore, they include Suresh Raina’s innings in the quarter and semi-finals and dream spells by Ashish Nehra and Munaf Patel in the semis.
The moment etched in the hearts of the nation is Dhoni finishing it off in style. The iconic lines of Ravi Shastri continued….” A magnificent strike into the crowd, India lifts the World Cup after 28 years!”