India's cricketing journey post-independence is a saga of triumphs! From iconic World Cup wins to unforgettable Test series victories, the nation's passion for cricket shines through.
India took 25 Tests to register their first victory after gaining independence. They defeated England at Chepauk in 1952, followed by their maiden Test series victory against Pakistan in the same year. Pakistan won the second Test in Lucknow, while India won the first and third. The final two Tests of the series ended in draws.
On the 1967–68 tour of New Zealand, India's men's cricket team achieved its first-ever Test series win outside the subcontinent, taking the four-match series 3-1.
Iconic series wins in the West Indies and England followed back-to-back under Ajit Wadekar in 1971. Wadekar's team first defeated the West Indies 1-0 in a five-game series in the Caribbean. After that, India overcame Ray Illingworth's formidable English side — fresh from winning the Ashes — by 1-0 in a three-Test series.
The first World Cup victory in India's cricket history stands out among all other accomplishments. In 1983, at Lord's, Kapil Dev's men defeated the most powerful team of that time, the West Indies, by 43 runs to lift the trophy.
India rose as an Asian cricket powerhouse with the inaugural Asia Cup win in 1984. They also co-hosted the Cricket World Cup in 1987.
On March 7, 1987, legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar made history by becoming the first batsman in Test cricket to reach 10,000 runs, achieving the milestone in his 124th game, against Pakistan in Ahmedabad.
Under Sourav Ganguly’s captaincy, India won one of the most famous Test matches against Australia at Eden Gardens in March 2001. The turnaround was fueled by Rahul Dravid’s 180 and VVS Laxman’s 281. Against all odds, India won in Kolkata before clinching another triumph in Chennai to take the series 2-1 — their first Test series win against Australia.
On July 13, 2002, India secured a famous victory over England in the Triangular NatWest Series, chasing down 326 with three balls to spare at Lord’s. Fans still remember Ganguly’s iconic shirt-waving celebration on the balcony.
In 2004, Virender Sehwag became the first Indian cricketer to score a triple century in Tests, smashing 309 against Pakistan at Multan.
Under MS Dhoni’s leadership, India claimed the “triple crown” of ICC white-ball cricket — the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2011 Cricket World Cup, and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy — making Dhoni the only captain to win all three.
In 2007, the BCCI launched the Indian Premier League (IPL), a bold franchise-based T20 tournament featuring city teams and the world’s top players. Today, the IPL is the biggest franchise league in world cricket.
On February 24, 2010, Sachin Tendulkar became the first male cricketer to score a double century in ODIs, making an unbeaten 200 against South Africa in Gwalior. In 2012, he became the first batsman to score 100 international centuries, achieving the feat against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup.
In 2014, Rohit Sharma lit up Eden Gardens’ 150th-anniversary celebrations with a world-record 264 against Sri Lanka — the highest-ever ODI score.
In 2018–19, Virat Kohli became the first Indian captain to lead his team to a Test series win in Australia, with a 2-1 triumph. India also became the first Asian team to win a Test series Down Under.
After an 11-year ICC trophy drought since the 2013 Champions Trophy, Rohit Sharma’s men broke the jinx by winning the 2024 T20 World Cup, defeating South Africa in the final. India then dominated the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, beating New Zealand in the final to secure back-to-back white-ball titles — both without losing a single match.
From February 2013 to October 2024, India set a record with 18 consecutive home Test series wins — the most in history. This incredible run ended when Rohit Sharma’s side lost the first two Tests of a three-match home series against New Zealand in October 2024.
