This article commemorates 79 years of Indian cricket, highlighting the most significant moments and achievements. From the historic 1983 World Cup to the recent Champions Trophy win, the piece chronicles India’s journey in the sport.
Since its first Test victory in 1952, Indian cricket has produced numerous memorable events and successes in ICC tournaments. The 1983 World Cup win under Kapil Dev, where India defeated West Indies, is a defining moment. Sunil Gavaskar’s milestone of 10,000 runs in Test cricket also played a vital role. The article also revisits moments such as Kapil Dev’s 175-run innings against Zimbabwe during the 1983 World Cup.
India’s early successes included a Test win against England in 1952. They won their first Test series against Pakistan at home that year. Under Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, the team won its first series outside Asia in 1967-68. In 1971, Ajit Wadekar led India to series wins against West Indies and England. Sunil Gavaskar’s 774 runs in the series set a record.
The 1983 World Cup victory was followed by India’s triumph in the Asia Cup in 1987 and Gavaskar reaching 10,000 runs in Tests. The 2001 Kolkata Test against Australia saw a stunning comeback. It was marked by the contributions of VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid’s partnership along with Harbhajan Singh’s bowling.
Virender Sehwag scored a triple century in 2004, a first for India in Tests. MS Dhoni led India to win the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 ODI World Cup, and 2013 Champions Trophy. The IPL, launched in 2008, revolutionized T20 cricket.
Sachin Tendulkar’s double century in 2010 and reaching 100 international centuries were significant. India dominated Test cricket at home from 2013 to 2024. Rohit Sharma’s 264 runs in 2014 is the highest ODI score. Virat Kohli led India to its first Test series win in Australia. India won the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.