Top 5 moments for Team India in the 2010-2019 decade

The Indian team has been no.1 in Tests since 2016.

The Indian team came a long way in this decade 2010-2019. Fans saw a huge transformation in its team and gained quite a lot towards the end of the 10-year period. Team India lost the cream of their batting when Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman in 2012, Sachin Tendulkar in 2013 and Virender Sehwag in 2015 retired from the game.

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MS Dhoni carried the team valiantly as captain while retiring from Tests in 2014 and giving up captaincy to Virat Kohli in Tests in 2015 and completely in 2016. Kohli transformed the team into an unbeatable unit at home and a competitive one overseas. The team also had some amazing batsmen coming up and for the first time in its Test cricket history, the Indian team had a surplus of fast bowlers, who were capable of winning matches on their own.

The team won various tournaments and accolades throughout the decade and today, Team COC takes a look at the top five moments for Team India in the decade of 2010-2019.

Here are the Team India in the decade 2010-2019

Indian becomes World Champions in 2011

It had been 28 years since India had won the coveted World Cup trophy. In 1983, Kapil Dev and his team had brought much glory to the country, triggering off a limited-overs evolution in the nation. India reached the finals in 2003 World Cup under Sourav Ganguly, only to be road rolled by a rampaging Australia and then came the embarrassing outing in 2007 edition.

Sachin Tendulkar recalls Team India’s celebration after 2011 World Cup triumph

However, in 2011, the tournament was held at home and under MS Dhoni, the team had already won the ICC World T20 in 2007 and had formed a team capable enough to best the most in-form teams. The tournament proved to be a mixed bag at the start with a tie against England and a loss against South Africa. But Yuvraj Singh and Sachin Tendulkar carried the batting along with Zaheer Khan and Munaf Patel doing their best with the ball.

India got their combination right just before the quarter-finals, in which Raina helped Yuvraj eliminate Australia in Ahmedabad and then Sachin played a brilliant knock of 85 in the semis agaisnt Pakistan, as India made into the finals for the third time. Despite a valiant century from Mahela Jayawardene and Lasith Malinga removing both Sehwag and Tendulkar for cheap at the start, Gambhir’s 97 and MS Dhoni’s 91* proved enough for India to get to the finishing line easily.

In the end, Dhoni hit Kulasekara for a six to win the match and India became World Champions for the second time after 28 years and the whole India celebrated the event like it was Diwali.  

MS Dhoni becomes the first captain to win all three ICC trophies with 2013 Champions trophy win

The Indian team under the leadership of MS Dhoni was looking unstoppable in 2013 as they traveled to England for the Champions Trophy. India had fielded a new opening pair in Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan and it proved to be fruitful as the team won all of its group stage matches, beating South Africa, the West Indies and then arch-rivals Pakistan. In the semis, India defeated Sri Lanka in a one-sided semi-final and then faced England in the finals.

The final match proved to be a 20-over per side affair due to rains and England had the game in their pockets until Ishant Sharma removed Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara in one over and then Dhoni choked the remaining batsmen as India became Champions Trophy winners for the second time, after having shared the title with Sri Lanka in 2002.

MS Dhoni became the first captain to win all the three ICC trophies on offer and is the only one to do so till now.  

Asia Cup honors 2010, 2016 and 2018

The decade of 2010-2019 was a productive one for the Indian team when it comes to the Asia Cup. MS Dhoni had been amazing as captain and had won the tournament in 2010, to start a winning streak in which the Men in Blue lifted the Asia Cup two more times in 2016 and 2018.

The 2010 Asia Cup was hosted by Sri Lanka and India faced the hosts in the finals, losing their only game in the league stages. In the final of the tournament, India made 268/6 in 50 overs with Dinesh Karthik making 66 runs. Ashish Nehra picked 4/40, as Sri Lanka capitulated for 187 runs and won the title by 81 runs. This was their fifth win and first under the captaincy of MS Dhoni.

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In 2016, it was decided that with the year hosting a World T20, the Asia Cup will also be a 20-over affair. The event was hosted by Bangladesh and the Indian team under Dhoni rampaged their way to the final, winning all of their four matches in dominating fashion. They routed Pakistan for 83 runs and won by 5 wickets and defeated UAE by 9 wickets. In the final, they met the hosts Bangladesh and chased down the target of 121 in style with 8 wickets in hand in a 15-overs per side affair.

The 2018 Asia Cup was supposed to be hosted by India, but due to tensions between Pakistan and India, the venue was shifted to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. India had rested captain Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma led in his stead.

The tournament displayed the ruthlessness of the Indian team as they defeated Pakistan twice in dominating fashion. One game saw India chasing down the target of 238 set by Pakistan, losing only one wicket and Shikhar Dhawan scoring a century.

Only Afghanistan managed to give them a fight, tying their match in Dubai. India met Bangladesh in the finals and though Liton Das made 122, Bangladesh managed just 222 runs. India chased down the total in a tense finish, winning by three wickets.  

Maiden Test series win in Australia

India had never won a Test series in Australia and since 2000-01, and managed just two wins against the Kangaroos with one coming in 2003 and another in 2008. In 2011-12, India lost all the four Tests, while in 2014-15, India lost the series by 2-0.

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This time around, Virat Kohli came to Australia with an Indian side featuring some of the best fast bowlers, while Australia was missing David Warner and Steve Smith due to their bans over the sandpaper gate. India started off well by winning the Adelaide Test by 31 runs, in which Pujara scored a brilliant ton, while Bumrah and Shami starred with the ball.

Australia pulled one back in Perth despite Shami picking 6/56 in second innings as Nathan Lyon picked 8 wickets in the match. India dominated in the third Test at Melbourne, as Pujara scored another ton, while Mayank Agarwal made a brilliant fifty on debut. Pat Cummins tried valiantly, picking 9 wickets in the match. But Bumrah matched him with 9 wickets of his own and India won by 137 runs and retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in the process going 2-1 up in the series.

The last Test at the SCG was drawn but had it not rained, India would have crushed Australia, after Pujara’s 193 and Pant’s 159* took India to 622/7d. Australia made 300, with Kuldeep picking 5 wickets and were looking in trouble, but the last day was washed out and history was created as Virat Kohli became the first Indian captain to win a Test series down under.

Holding no.1 Test ranking for 3 years running

Team India had been the no.1 ranked Test team in official ICC rankings three times before the current tenure. Under MS Dhoni, India first became no.1 in Tests in November of 2009 and kept the title till August of 2011, until that fateful England tour. Then India again wrested the no.1 spot in January 2016 for one month and in August 2016 for 4 days.

Virat Kohli finishes second successive year as numero uno Test batsman

But Virat Kohli and his men regained their numero uno position in Tests in October 2016 and have not yielded it to anyone for more than three years now and have held the mace graciously. India won in West Indies, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, while drew in South Africa in 2010-11. They had amazing performances in losses in South Africa in 2018.

The Indian team under Virat Kohli has been known for going for wins instead of choosing to draw a match, in-process losing some close contests. The team has held onto their Test championship mace with respect and authority, going into the new decade, with a challenge of facing New Zealand in their own backyard awaiting them.