Table of contents

Introduction

Cricket in India

In its early days

Post-independence growth between 1947 to 1970s

Tasting International Success through the 1970s: The Rise of the Indian Spin

First taste of real success: the 1980s

The emerging face of modern Indian cricket

India’s cricket through the millennium

The new face of Indian Cricket - the game as we know it today

Conclusion

Introduction

Cricket is not just a game, but a religion that has millions of followers in the Indian population. The British colonialists introduced the game to the Indian subcontinent in the 18th century. However, long after the traces of our colonial past began to fade, the influence of cricket has only increased. Whether it is gully cricket that takes over the streets of India, or international cricket, Indian spectators and cricket players pursue the game with ardour. This article explores the journey of cricketing excellence from  Maharaja’s XI to Team India. 

Cricket in India

In its early days 

The first recorded cricket match in India took place in 1721, however, it was only in the early 1900s that India experienced organised cricket. The earliest domestic competition held was the Bombay Triangular Tournament, later renamed the Bombay Quadrangular. It was played between European, Hindu, Muslim, and Parsee teams. India played its first international cricket match in 1932 when they toured England. The Indian side was led by C.K. Nayudu in its debut match at Lord's in a historic Test match. Despite losing the match, it marked India’s arrival on the global cricket stage.

Post-independence growth between 1947 to 1970s

After independence in 1947, the game of cricket acted as a unifying force in a diverse and vulnerable period of the newly-formed nation. The Indian cricket team delivered some memorable moments with its first-ever Test win in 1952 against England in Madras (now Chennai). Players like Vijay Hazare, Vinoo Mankad, and Pankaj Roy became early heroes of the sport. This period is also marked by inconsistent performances as the teams struggled to find the right rhythm despite having talented players. Our success in Test cricket remained elusive on foreign soil. We had individual cricketers of remarkable talent that were unmatched by most foreign players, yet, the team’s early international tours often resulted in heavy defeats. Still, the commitment of the people and players to the game of cricket was unwavering. 

Tasting International Success through the 1970s: The Rise of the Indian Spin

While we struggled through the 1970s to strike it big in international cricket, this is also the decade which proved to be a turning point in Indian cricket. The partnership of the famous spin quartet – Bishan Singh Bedi, Erapalli Prasanna, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, and Srinivas Venkataraghavan – helped India achieve significant success, especially in Test matches. These four spinners became famous for their ability to win matches on subcontinental pitches, which favoured spin bowling.

Under the captaincy of Ajit Wadekar, the Indian cricket team recorded its first-ever overseas series win against the West Indies in 1971. This was followed by another historic series win in England the same year. Star players like Sunil Gavaskar, who made his debut on the West Indies tour, and Gundappa Viswanath became national icons.

First taste of real success: the 1980s

A big impetus to cricket came with the introduction of One-day Internationals (ODIs) in the 1980s. The early 80s also marked a defining moment for India as we won our first Cricket World Cup in 1983 under the leadership of Kapil Dev. India stunned the world by defeating the mighty West Indies in the final at Lord’s Stadium in England. 

This victory changed the face of Indian cricket forever, instilling the belief that India could compete with the best. The World Cup win fuelled the popularity of limited-overs cricket in India. The Indian team players Kapil Dev, Mohinder Amarnath, Ravi Shastri, and Dilip Vengsarkar became household names. The following 1985 World Championship of Cricket victory in Australia further cemented India's position as a strong ODI team.

The Emerging Face of Modern Indian Cricket 

Something remarkable happened for Indian cricket in 1989 - a young prodigy made his debut in an ODI match against Pakistan and accelerated the upward trajectory of Indian cricket over the next three decades. Sachin Tendulkar became the face of modern India’s cricket team with his remarkable talent, unquenched thirst for excellence and an unmatched work ethic. He was idolised by all and earned the title of the "Little Master."

Even as Tendulkar dominated the batting charts, other players in the team like Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath, and Sourav Ganguly emerged as key figures in the team. India's historic Test series win over Australia in 2001, led by the partnership of V.V.S. Laxman and Rahul Dravid in Kolkata, became a turning point for Indian Test cricket.

India’s cricket through the millennium

In the 2000s, the Indian cricket team developed to become a formidable cricketing powerhouse. Sourav Ganguly’s leadership as captain led to a more aggressive and confident Indian team. India was winning overseas Test matches, including a historic series win in Pakistan in 2004.

However, the crowning achievement of Indian cricketing history came after nearly a quarter of a century after the ‘83 World Cup victory, under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. India won the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in 2007, followed by the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup on home soil. Dhoni’s cool and calculated leadership, combined with the experience of veterans like Tendulkar, Dravid, and Sehwag, and the enthusiastic drive of rising players like Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh, made India a dominant force in world cricket.

The new face of Indian Cricket - the game as we know it today

In 2014 after Kohli became captain of the Indian cricket team, he brought in a new regime that focused on fitness, intensity, and consistency. Kohli’s passion and aggressive style transformed the Indian team, giving them the skills and capability to compete across formats. Under his leadership, India became the number one-ranked Test team and achieved historic Test series wins in Australia in 2018-19 and 2020-21.

Kohli nurtured bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Ishant Sharma, fortifying the team with formidable pace attackers. The team’s focus on fitness and discipline, and its ability to perform in different conditions, have set new standards for Indian cricket.

The Board of Cricket Control for India (BCCI) is among the richest sports bodies in the world and under its aegis, Indian cricket is thriving. New talents like Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and Prithvi Shaw are leading the charge. Under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy, India remains a top contender in all formats of the game, regularly challenging the world’s best teams. The Indian Premier League (IPL), launched in 2008, has also played a pivotal role in unearthing new talent and revolutionising the way cricket is played globally.

From its early struggles to becoming one of the most powerful cricketing nations, India’s journey is a testament to the passion and love for the game that exists within the country.