Indian Cricket in 2024: A Year of Triumphs, Tribulations, and Transformation
Patiala, 31 December (Sports Desk)
2024 proved to be a rollercoaster year for Indian cricket, filled with exhilarating highs, unexpected lows, and significant transitions. From lifting the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup trophy to suffering a historic Test series defeat at home, Indian cricket experienced a spectrum of emotions.
Key Highlights of the Men’s Team:
- T20 World Cup Glory: India ended their 13-year wait for an ICC trophy with a memorable triumph in the T20 World Cup, hosted in the USA and the Caribbean. This victory also marked their return to the top of the T20 world after 17 years. The team remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, showcasing resilience and determination. Rohit Sharma led from the front with his aggressive batting, while Arshdeep Singh was among the tournament’s highest wicket-takers. Virat Kohli played a crucial innings in the final, and Jasprit Bumrah earned the Player of the Series award for his game-changing spells.
- Historic Wins: India began the year with a historic Test win against South Africa at Centurion, leveling the series. This victory marked the shortest completed Test match in history and made India the first Asian team to win a Test at Supersport Park. They also whitewashed Afghanistan 3-0 in a T20I series, which included a thrilling double Super Over finish in the final match. A 4-1 home Test series win against England also boosted their confidence leading into the T20 World Cup.
- Transition and New Leadership: The year marked a significant transition for the Indian team. Following the T20 World Cup, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja announced their retirement from T20Is, signaling the end of an era. Gautam Gambhir replaced Rahul Dravid as the head coach, and Suryakumar Yadav took over as India’s T20 captain.
- Home Test Series Defeat: A major setback came in the form of a 3-0 Test series whitewash against New Zealand at home. This unexpected defeat ended India’s 12-year unbeaten streak in home Test series.
- Mixed Results in Other Series: Following the T20 World Cup victory, India won away T20I series against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka but lost an ODI series to Sri Lanka. They also secured Test and T20I series wins at home against Bangladesh. The ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia sees India trailing 2-1, jeopardizing their chances for the WTC final.
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Key Highlights of the Women’s Team:
- Disappointing Multi-Team Tournaments: The Indian women’s team faced disappointment in major tournaments, including a group stage exit from the Women’s T20 World Cup and a loss to Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final.
- Strong Bilateral Performances: The team performed well in bilateral series, sweeping South Africa and West Indies in ODIs at home and beating New Zealand 2-1. They also performed well in T20Is against Bangladesh and West Indies and drew a series against South Africa. They also won a one-off Test against South Africa.
- Record-Breaking Year for Smriti Mandhana: Mandhana had a phenomenal year, scoring four ODI centuries (a record in women’s cricket), breaking the record for most runs in a calendar year across all formats, and leading the scoring charts in both ODIs and T20Is. She also led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to the WPL title. Notably, India’s first innings score of 603/6 in the Test against South Africa became the highest ever recorded in a women’s Test innings.
