Indian cricket has evolved over the years. Over time, there have been multiple historic moments for Indian cricket and fans on and off the field. The Indian cricket team started from nowhere and is dominating the game. There are so many iconic moments that we have witnessed over the years. Let us look at some of the best moments in Indian cricket.
1. India’s First Overseas Test Win Back-to-back
The two triumphs against the West Indies and England were the first steps in India's 38-year path to becoming the top Test team. First, in a five-match series in the Caribbean, Ajit Wadekar's team upset the renowned Sir Gary Sobers-led West Indies by a score of 1-0 at home. Then, in a three-match Test series, they overcame Ray Illingworth's strong English team, which had won the Ashes, 1-0. India eventually won the game by chasing down 170+ in the fourth innings, sealing off their first-ever Test series triumph in England, thanks to Bhagawat Chandrasekar's brilliant bowling that reduced England to 101 in the second innings of the third Test at the Oval.
2. India’s First World Cup Win
Among all other achievements, India's first World Cup victory stands out because, first, it wasn't an easy one, and second, it marked the beginning of a new era for Indian cricket. By defeating the most dominant team at the time, the West Indies, by 43 runs at Lords on June 25, 1983, Kapil Dev's demons won the Prudential World Cup and disproved all predictions. Although it was not anticipated that India would win the competition, the team persisted, and following Kapil Dev's iconic 175 against Zimbabwe, numerous records fell.
3. India’s Mini World Cup Win
India competed in the "Mini-World Cup" competition in Australia in 1984, two years after winning the World Cup. This tournament featured all of the top national teams. The 1985 World Cricket Championship featured seven competing nations: India, Australia, England, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies. Despite their heroic triumph over the West Indies in the 1983 World Cup finals, the Indian team was one of the underdogs to take home the trophy.
4. 2001 Test Series Win Against Australia
Sourav Ganguly led India to victory in one of the most memorable Test matches at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata in March 2001. Back then, Australia, led by the legendary Steve Waugh, dominated in both home and away matches, and they had a 15-match winning streak going into the first Test against India, which they extended to 16.
5. 2007 T20 World Cup
When the first World Cup was played in South Africa using the 20-over format, T20I cricket was still a relatively new sport and was just beginning to acquire popularity. India, headed by a youthful captain by the name of MS Dhoni, stunned everyone by defeating arch-rival Pakistan by a margin of 5 runs to win the tournament. With only one wicket remaining, Pakistan only needed 13 runs in the final over. Dhoni inserted Joginder Sharma to bowl the last over. Sreesanth took the game's decisive catch as India wrote history while Misbah attempted to tackle him with a scoop shot over the short fine leg.
6. Number 1 Spot In Test Rankings
On December 6, 2009, India attained the top spot in the ICC Test rankings for the teams initially established in June 2003. On December 6, 2009, India attained the top spot in the ICC Test rankings for the teams initially established in June 2003. The top position was attained by Team India, captained by MS Dhoni. They retained the rank up until 2011, when the English side dethroned them, but took that spot again in 2016.
7. 2011 World Cup
India finally broke the curse in 2011, defeating a talented Sri Lankan team in the ODI World Cup finals in Mumbai, 28 years after winning the inaugural World Cup. India had won yet another significant ICC Title under MS Dhoni's direction. India quickly lost their two most important players, Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar, while attempting to chase down 275 runs to win the coveted cup. India won the game with Gambhir's 97 and Dhoni's determined 91.
8. 2013 Champions Trophy
When India defeated England in 2013 to win the Champions Trophy for the first time, MS Dhoni became the only captain to have won all three ICC Trophies. India won the tournament's opening match, defeating South Africa. They continued to improve, eventually defeating England in the event's championship match, which was shortened to 20 overs owing to rain. After amassing a respectable 129 runs while batting first, India won an exciting match. The Men in Blue added another crucial ICC championship cup to their collection of accomplishments. The mark seemed to be easily surpassed by England, but the English batsmen were unable to respond to India's bowling attack.
9. First Test Series Win In Australia
India trounced the Australians in their backyard in the final two Tests, winning the series 2-1, courtesy of superb bowling by the aggressive Indian bowling attack and outstanding batting by the seasoned Cheteswar Pujara throughout the series. India won the first two games of the four-match series while dropping the last game. India won the trophy after the fourth game at the Sydney Cricket Ground concluded in a draw with a score of 2-2, giving them a 2-1 advantage.
10. India Test Win 20-21 Vs Australia
After being all-out for 36 in the first Test, having their main bowlers injured, and having their original captain Virat Kohli take paternity leave, India was staring death in the face. India overcame injury issues to break through a fortress and win the series against a fully-fit Australian team at the Gabba, however, after leveling the series at the MCG and surviving a last-day scare at the SCG. Ajinkya Rahane, the vice-captain, kept his composure, and many of the side's rookies played outstanding cricket while shouldering the burden. Every cricket fan will cherish the victory for all time.
