There was a time when India was a newcomer to the sport of cricket. In the 70s of the twentieth century, Indian athletes began to play international cricket, and after a while of training, they managed to win the world championship in 1983. The world community was shocked because no one could believe how a new team could win the World Cup with a relatively short experience of nine years. It’s a short time. Then the world realized that India had the potential to conquer the world in the game of cricket, and today it is the teams from India that are among the best in this industry worldwide.
During all this time, the attention of the audience was riveted by many teams that performed both at the national level and the international level. For example, one of the most colorful confrontations is the competition between the Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders teams, which took place as part of the IPL Indian Premier League for men’s cricket. In addition, during the development of cricket in India, several compositions of the national team representing India in the international format have changed. Consider those of them that are considered the best in history.
Best India National Cricket Team Lineups
Here are 5 of the best Indian teams of all time that have represented India in international championships at different times:
- “Soldiers of Dravida”. Rahul Dravid captained the Indian national team for a short period, but even at that stage, he achieved a lot. Dravid took over from Surav Ganguly and brought some much-needed stability to the team. Dravid captained India in 25 Tests, of which India won eight and lost six, with 11 matches drawn. India famously won the Test series in England in 2007. Since then, no other Indian captain has achieved such a feat. In the ODI, Dravid led India in 79 games, of which the team won 42 and lost 33. The remaining games were inconclusive.
- Devils of Kapila. Kapil Dev was the man who changed the face of Indian cricket. He inspired India to their first World Cup triumph against all odds in 1983 when underdogs stunned the mighty West Indians. This victory gave India confidence that they could become world champions. Kapil has captained India in 74 ODIs, of which the national team has won 39. Under his leadership, India reached the final of the Benson & Hedges World Series in 1986, eventually losing to Australia in the showdown.
- “Brigade Ganguly”. After captaining the national team after a match-fixing scandal, Surav Ganguly should be credited for getting Indian cricket back on track. He supported a group of talented youngsters and gave them the confidence to become match winners. Ganguly led India in 49 Tests, winning 21 and losing 13 with 15 matches played. Under Ganguly, India famously stopped Australia’s juggernaut in 16 consecutive victories that marked 2001 for the team. With Ganguly in the lead, India won four matches in Australia, seven in England, and 11 in South Africa.
- “Tough Guys Doni”. MS Dhoni is considered India’s greatest captain. The Indian national team under his captaincy won the T20 World Cup in 2007, the 2011 50-man World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy. He is the only captain in world cricket to have won all three ICC titles. He led India in exactly 200 matches of which India won 110 and lost 74. Under Dhoni, India won the CB series in Australia in 2007-08. However, with Dhoni as captain, the Indian team failed to win the 2015 World Cup semi-finals, also lost three Down Under series in 2012, and was crushed by Bangladesh in the ODI series in 2015.
- “Fighters of Kohli”. Virat Kohli replaced MSD during the transition. Dhoni has retired from testing, while Sachin Tendulkar, Surav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, and Virender Sehwag have retired from the international scene altogether. Kohli creates his team and his legacy. So far, Kohli has led India in 60 Tests, of which the Indian team has won 36 and lost only 14. Kohli is already India’s most successful captain in Test cricket. He led India to their first-ever Down Under Test win in 2018-19. Kohli’s reputation in ODI as a captain is sensational. He led India in 95 games, of which the team won 65 matches. Kohli’s captaining career still has some unfinished business and time will tell if he becomes India’s greatest captain.
Each of these teams had its victories and failures, but each of them remained in the memory and hearts of true fans who actively follow all the most important events in the field of cricket.