Invincible India shows why it is atop world cricket
There was no better salutation to the 2026 International Women’s Day (IWD) than the toast raised by the Men in Blue on an exhilarating Sunday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, while rewriting history books with a slew of envious records. It was poetic justice. India became the first team to successfully defend the T20 World Cup title; the first to win it on home soil, and the first to claim a third world T20 crown.
Apart from that chief coach Gautam Gambhir became the first cricketer to win the mega event as a player and as the coach. The championship also saw several records being set with most of them coming courtesy of Indian players. The grand triumph comes as a great relief not only to the team but every fan as the team came back strong after being drubbed by a particularly inspired South Africa in their Super 8 showdown.
Taken from a different perspective, cricket triumphed eventually as the run-up was marred by political hiccups after Bangladesh refused to play on Indian soil and Pakistan created nuisance and kept the organisers on tenterhooks by threatening to boycott their high-profile group league fixture against arch-rival India. That they did a U-turn and ended up playing is a victory of sorts for the game. It is a different aspect altogether that Pakistan cricket touched a new low for all their rhetoric. Their insipid showing exposed the team’s lack of unity that stemmed from ego clashes and change of captains. The superlative showing has drawn applause from across the global cricketing fraternity with many stalwarts describing India as the white ball powerhouse that is ‘virtually unbeatable’ after a ruthless 96-run thrashing of New Zealand, who have replaced South Africa as ‘chokers’. By this showing, India has cemented itself as the undisputed kings of the shortest format of the game.
There is no denying that Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube cornered glory with their skills. However, one cannot miss out on the equally immense talented Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and the 14-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who all indicate that India is firmly ensconced in all formats of the game.
The future is quite an optimistic one, which comes as a major turnaround that started a couple of years after almost a decade of less than impressive showings. A word of praise must go to Samson, who till the other day was unsure of securing a berth in the squad after failing to deliver in the series against the Kiwis. Bumrah lived up to expectations, including in the summit clash.
The unique rise of India should go to the manner the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has streamlined its functioning, including talent search, with its administrative acumen. Providing players with the best of infrastructure, proven coaches, and global exposure, it has pieced together an apparatus that must be the envy of the cricketing world. This has been aptly summed up by the perennial India-baiter Javed Miandad.
“India is now reaping the benefits of a strong process-driven cricket structure. If you look at the talent they are producing now, they are not short on batters, spinners or fast bowlers. The young players are result-driven”. Where Team India stands today has been best put by Shoaib Akhtar: India are the firm favourites to win the next edition of the 50-over World Cup as well. If you get hold of the trophy today, take it today itself.
