Can Team India end eight-year wait with World Test Championship win?

Next month’s inaugural World Test Championship final (June 18-22 at Southampton) against New Zealand presents Virat Kohli’s men an opportunity to win the ICC trophy for the first time in eight years

Can Team India end eight-year wait with World Test Championship win?

India players celebrate the wicket of Ben Stokes on Day Three of the fourth Test against England at Ahmedabad earlier this year. PIC/GETTY IMAGES

2015 World Cup
A lot was expected from Team India going in the World Cup and the defending champions did not disappoint. MS Dhoni’s men started their campaign with a bang by beating rivals Pakistan by 76 runs. India went on to win six consecutive matches in a row to finish Group B on top. Dhoni’s side continued their winning streak by defeating neighbours Bangladesh in the quarter-finals. With it, they also created history by bowling out opponents in all matches (70 wickets in seven games). However, one bad day turned out to be a big nightmare for Team India. The visitors’ seven-match unbeaten streak came to an end after going down to hosts and favourites Australia by a massive 95-run margin.

2016 World T20
Being the tournament hosts, India were seen as top contenders to lift the trophy. Dhoni team didn’t have the best of starts after going down to New Zealand by 47 runs. But Virat Kohli, in form of his life (273 runs in five matches @ 136.50), helped India make a strong comeback as the hosts went on to win the remaining three matches in the Super 10 stage to finish second in Group B. Kohli continued his fine form in the semi-finals against West Indies, scoring 89 not out off just 47 balls as India posted a massive 192-2 off 20 overs at Wankhede. But it didn’t prove big enough in the end as the Caribbean side chased the target with seven wickets in hand to end India’s dreams of lifting the second World T20 title.

2017 Champions Trophy
India won the high-voltage opening encounter against Pakistan by 124 runs (D/L method) to start the tournament on a positive note. But the team went down to Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the second match. However, India made a strong comeback in the do-or-die encounter as Kohli’s men beat South Africa by eight wickets to top Group B and enter semi-finals. It was expected to be an easy ride for India going into the final, having beaten Pakistan comfortably earlier in the tournament. But apart from toss, nothing went India’s way as the fierce rivals dominated from Ball One. Azhar Ali (59) and Fakhar Zaman (114) put on 128 for the opening wicket as Sarfaraz Ahmed-led side put up a massive 338-4 in 50 overs. India’s top-order batsmen surrendered under pressure as they were reduced to 72-6 in 17 overs. Hardik Pandya (76 off 43 balls) gave India some hopes but that wasn’t enough as the defending champions were bowled out for 158, thus losing the game by 180 runs.

2019 World Cup
India were firm favourites going into the World Cup in English conditions. The former champions topped the points table, winning seven matches and losing one out of the nine league matches. India’s match against New Zealand was washed out and rain continued to be a bugbear in the semi-finals too, as the game was pushed to the reserve day. With the Kiwis at 211-5 in 46.1 overs, India looked in the better position when play stopped on ‘Day One.’ However, India’s fortunes changed the following day. Chasing 222, India’s famed top-order failed to deliver on a big day. They were in dire straits at 24-4, then 92-6. Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja shared a 116-run stand for the seventh wicket to give the team some hope, but the former champions fell short by 18 runs, thus ending a billion dreams of winning another World Cup title.

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