Team India. (Photo Source: Gareth Copley-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
Team India endured a humongous 209-run defeat against Australia in the recently concluded ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23 final at The Oval in London. Suffering yet another heartbreak, this time in the form of the WTC final, team India extended their decade-long record without an ICC title, since winning the Champions trophy in 2013 under the leadership of MS Dhoni.
On that note, we delve into team India’s journey since the last win in an ICC event in 2013. The Men in Blue contested in the 2014 T20 World Cup and cruised to the finals to lock horns with Sri Lanka. However, the Lankan Lions asserted their dominance in the summit clash and registered a six-wicket win in a low-scoring contest.
The following year, team India had the chance to defend their title in the 2015 ODI World Cup, hosted by Australia and New Zealand. However, MS Dhoni-led India endured a defeat in the semi-final against the Aussies, who eventually went on to lift the coveted title.
The side suffered twin losses in the 2016 and the 2022 T20 World Cup, as they crashed out of the ICC event in the semi-finals under the captaincy of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, respectively. In their quest to defend their title in the 2017 Champions Trophy under the leadership of Kohli, team India locked horns with Pakistan at The Oval in London.
Another heartbreak for India as they lose the WTC Final 2023 against Australia.💔#AUSvsIND #WTCFinal #WTC2023 #ICCEvents pic.twitter.com/jw4UAHB3gR
— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) June 12, 2023
However, the Men in Green outrightly dominated the Indian side and comfortably won the clash by a massive 180 runs. As the 2019 ODI World Cup approached, team India were among the favourites to clinch the title. It was the same event that also marked the final World Cup under the leadership of the legendary, MS Dhoni.
Cementing their berth in the semi-final, it was the loss against the Kiwis that further extended their wait for an ICC title. With the introduction of the ICC WTC for the red-ball format, team India dominated throughout the 2019-21 cycle and booked their place in the summit clash, locking horns once again with the BlackCaps.
Despite a brilliant two-year cycle under Kohli, team India failed to rise to the occasion and get their hands on the coveted mace in 2021. Likewise, yet another defeat in the 2021-23 cycle of the WTC has further extended their decade-long record without an ICC title. However, the Men in Blue will look to build a core side just in time for the forthcoming ODI World Cup at home and push through for their first title in nearly a decade.