New Delhi [India], August 15 (ANI): India’s cricketing journey post-independence is really a film, filled with highs and lows that captivated the general public! From iconic World Cup wins to unforgettable Take a look at collection victories, the nation has supported its cricketing heroes like no different nation does.
Within the historical past of India cricket after independence, Staff India has made the nation proud, raised the tricolour excessive on many events. Be it group performances or particular person milestones, there’s nothing that the Males in Blue haven’t achieved.
Listed here are a few of the most vital moments of the nations’ post-Independence period cricket historical past.
-1952, when India gained its first-ever Take a look at and Take a look at collection: After gaining worldwide standing again in 1932, India’s grind paid off once they achieved their first-ever Take a look at win over England at Chepauk in 1952. Vinoo Mankad’s 12-wicket haul helped India take down England by an innings and eight runs, levelling the five-match collection 1-1.
It was in the identical yr that Staff India additionally gained their first-ever Take a look at collection and what a greater strategy to do it by defeating arch-rivals Pakistan on dwelling soil? After the win within the first Take a look at, Pakistan managed to stage the collection in Lucknow throughout 2nd Take a look at, whereas India took a lead within the subsequent Take a look at. The ultimate two Checks resulted in attracts, giving Staff India a extremely cherished 2-1 collection win. All-rounder Mankad’s 25 wickets within the collection, together with a 13-wicket haul within the Delhi Take a look at, had been a large standout. Legends like Polly Umrigar and Vijay Hazare additionally acquired their coveted Take a look at tons.
-India’s first second of glory exterior the subcontinent:
After India began successful extra continuously in Checks, their triumphs had been largely at dwelling. Their first collection exterior Asia got here in New Zealand again within the 1967-68 season below a fiery captain, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi. The four-match collection concluded with India successful 3-1. A grand complete of 40 wickets shared between spin wizards Erapalli Prasanna (24) and Bishan Singh Bedi (16) and Ajit Wadekar’s superb 143 at Wellington contributed majorly in group’s collection win.
-Iconic collection wins in West Indies and England back-to-back below Ajit Wadekar in 1971:
Ajit Wadekar’s group first defeated West Indies 1-0 in a five-game collection within the Caribbean within the first quarter of 1971. It was throughout this collection that Sunil Gavaskar introduced his arrival in cricket, peeling off a report 774 runs in eight innings with 4 centuries and three fifties in opposition to a formidable Windies assault.
After that, India overcame Ray Illingworth’s formidable English group that had gained the Ashes with a rating of 1-0 in a three-game take a look at collection. The dominance of the Indian spin trio of S Venkataraghavan, BS Chandrasekhar and Bedi is one thing that India nonetheless talks about until at the present time and their dominance paved the way in which for a lot of future spin greats like Harbhajan Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin, Anil Kumble, and so on.
-The primary World Cup victory for India in its cricket historical past stands out amongst all different accomplishments.
In 1983, at Lord’s, Kapil Dev’s males defeated probably the most highly effective group of that point, the West Indies, by 43 runs to win the World Cup. With only one win within the earlier two editions, the Indians headed into the event as huge underdogs, however crushed giants like WI, Australia and England on their strategy to the title, shifting the power-centre of the game without end and snatching it from the older powers with their sheer willpower and self-belief.
-India’s rise as an Asian cricket energy: By lifting the inaugural Asia Cup title, defeating Sri Lanka within the remaining held on the UAE and co-hosting the Cricket World Cup 1987 together with Pakistan, India sealed its standing as a rising energy in world cricket. Bringing the World Cup cricket to the Asian audiences proved to be revolutionary because the subcontinent wasted no time in turning into certainly one of sport’s greatest markets, and different nations began to get internet hosting rights for World Cups.
-Gavaskar turns into first to attain 10,000 Take a look at runs: On March 7, 1987, the ‘Little Grasp’ made historical past by being the primary batsman in Take a look at cricket to succeed in 10,000 runs in his 124th recreation, in opposition to Pakistan in Ahmedabad. Gavaskar performed a knock of 63 in a drawn Take a look at.
-The Kolkata Marathon which restored religion: After match-fixing saga, the general public’s religion of their beloved sport was at all-time low heading into the Australia collection at dwelling. A ten-wicket loss at Chennai didn’t assist both. It was the marathon effort from VVS Laxman (281) and Rahul Dravid (180) on the iconic Eden Gardens, which helped India convert a 274-run deficit to a 383 run lead as they placed on a large 376 runs for the fifth wicket. Harbhajan’s six-fer sealed India a series-levelling win by 171 runs. A hungry top-order’s heavy run-scoring and Harbhajan’s 15 wickets within the remaining Take a look at helped India seal an iconic collection win.
-Virender Sehwag’s triple delight: In 2004 at Multan, the ‘Nawab of Najafgarh’ smashed a strong Pakistani assault powered by Shoaib Akhtar and Saqlain Mushtaq to items, turning into the primary Indian to succeed in 300-run mark in Checks, scoring 309 in 375 balls, with 39 fours and 6 sixes. India gained the primary Multan Take a look at by an innings and 52 runs and captured their first-ever Take a look at collection win in Pakistan. This win, which nonetheless resides within the minds of cricketing followers and has left them craving one more Take a look at collection between these two sides.
-Dhoni’s historic triple from 2007-13: As soon as a ticket-collector with the Railways, MS Dhoni became a trophy collector actual quickly, taking India to the ICC T20 World Cup win in its inaugural version again in 2007. After that, he introduced the 50-over WC again dwelling after 28 years, beating Sri Lanka on the dwelling soil. The Champions Trophy win within the UK in 2013 made him the first-ever captain to win all main ICC white-ball titles. Better part about these wins? All of them group efforts to the core.
-Introduction of the Indian Premier League: In 2007, BCCI unveiled the Indian Premier League (IPL). The idea’s audacity lies in its franchise-based T20 league, which entails cities as an alternative of states or provinces and options the world’s prime gamers. IPL at present is the most important franchise-based league throughout the globe and has paved the way in which for a number of T20 leagues worldwide. In latest occasions, many IPL group homeowners have invested closely in different T20 leagues worldwide as nicely.
-Sachin turns Superhuman: With a double century in One Day Worldwide (ODI) cricket on February 24, 2010, Grasp Blaster Sachin Tendulkar grew to become the primary male cricketer to perform this feat. In a second ODI match in Gwalior, he completed this feat in opposition to South Africa. With 25 fours and three sixes off 147 balls, Tendulkar completed unbeaten on 200 runs. India gained the match by 153 runs and the pacing of Sachin innings served as a blueprint for future double centurions.
-Particular century for Sachin: In 2012, Tendulkar grew to become the primary batsman to hit 100 centuries in worldwide cricket. The Grasp Blaster completed the feat in opposition to Bangladesh within the Asia Cup 2012.
Staff India’s dominant Take a look at run from 2013-2024: After a heartbreaking loss to England in 2012-end, Staff India bounced again with an unbeaten Take a look at run at dwelling that lasted until 2024. Between February 2013 and October 2024, the Indians had been victorious in 18 straight Take a look at collection performed on their turf, with a brand new technology of stars like Virat, Rohit, Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara serving because the architects of this good run. Within the late 2024, NZ ended the run by whitewashing a Rohit-led India 3-0
-Rohit’s heroics in Kolkata: Propelled by Rohit Sharma’s magnificent double-century in 2014, India marched to a 153-run win in Kolkata in opposition to Sri Lanka. Whereas Eden Gardens celebrated 150 years, Rohit lit up the stadium with a well-paced 264 off 173 to make the event memorable, smashing the highest-ever ODI rating. His knock had 33 fours and 9 sixes.
-Virat Kohli makes historical past Down Underneath: Veteran batter Virat Kohli grew to become the primary Indian captain to guide his group to a Take a look at collection win in Australia, downing them 2-1 in 2018-19. It was a collection win, and India additionally grew to become the primary Asian facet to win a Take a look at collection in Australia.
-Staff India breaks trophy drought: Through the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup at dwelling, Staff India carried out their hearts out of their 10-match win streak, however fell sufferer of a Travis Head counter-attack and gorgeous bowling, fielding by Aussies within the remaining at Ahmedabad. Nonetheless, Staff India bounced again from adversity, occurring an undefeated run of their T20 WC win at Barbados final yr and Champions Trophy win in Dubai this yr. At Barbados, a Virat masterclass knock of 76 took India to 176/7, and India’s tempo choke left Proteas seven runs brief. Within the CT remaining, Rohit’s match-winning 76 helped India chase down 251 set by the Kiwis, their long-time rivals in ICC occasions. (ANI)
