The era of India’s dominance in cricket may have kicked in with their spectacular triumph in the T20 World Cup on Saturday, according to several former players.
India prevailed in an edge-of-the-seat thriller against South Africa in Bridgetown to claim their second 20-overs global trophy 17 years after winning the inaugural edition.
It was India’s first global title since winning the 2013 Champions Trophy, but their consistency in recent years was never in doubt.
India lost back-to-back finals of the World Test Championships in 2021 and 2023, while their only defeat in the 50-overs home World Cup last year came in the summit clash against Australia.
They ended that barren streak in International Cricket Council (ICC) events on Saturday when India became the first team to win the T20 World Cup going unbeaten in the tournament.
“I have a feeling that this is a breakout win for us,” former India opener Virender Sehwag wrote on X.
“For years, we have played well, been consistent in a range, consolidated but not able to get past the finish line,” he wrote. “With this win, I think we would be winning many ICC trophies consistently in the years to come.”
India’s resurgence follows the demise of England’s white-ball dominance as the Jos Buttler-led side have now failed to defend two World Cup titles in eight months.
India appear to have inherited that mantle, believes former England fast bowler Steven Finn.
“India are formidable – they have got all bases covered in all conditions,” Finn told the BBC. “This experience could see them go on to dominate now. It is an experience that will serve them very well.”
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly predicted “they will win many more” after the success in the Caribbean.
Batting great Sachin Tendulkar said India’s overall fourth World Cup title in limited-overs cricket would be a major motivation for young talents in the country.
“Every star added to the Team India jersey inspires our nation’s starry-eyed children to move one step closer to their dreams. India gets the 4th star, our second in @T20WorldCup,” Tendulkar wrote on X.
India’s domination in the 20-overs format will have to be under a new leadership, though.
Captain Rohit Sharma and stalwart Virat Kohli bowed out of T20 Internationals after winning the World Cup, while it was also head coach Rahul Dravid’s last match in charge of the squad.
India last won a World Cup in 2011 at home under MS Dhoni, who earlier led the team to a T20 World Cup trophy in the inaugural edition in 2007.
Star batsman Virat Kohli played a knock for the ages in his 59-ball 76 to guide India to 176-7, a total their bowlers defended brilliantly as they restricted their opponents to 169-8 despite South Africa needing just 26 runs off 24 balls with six wickets in hand.
The clash between the tournament’s two unbeaten sides lived up to expectations and provided intense drama that culminated with India claiming their second T20 World Cup 17 years after their first.
It was a fitting finale to the biggest T20 World Cup featuring a record 20 teams, which created quite a buzz in United States, the joint tournament hosts with West Indies.
The US impressed on the field too, stunning former champions Pakistan and making the Super Eight stage ahead of Test playing nations such as New Zealand and Sri Lanka.
Afghanistan also gave a good account of themselves until South Africa hammered them in the semifinals.
It was the first time South Africa made the final of a World Cup in any format, but Aiden Markram’s side fell agonisingly short of the title.
No batter scored a century in the bowler-dominated tournament, which, for many, was a welcome break from the usual relentless slogging the format encourages.
India’s Jasprit Bumrah, adjudged player of the tournament, particularly stood out and proved again why he is the best all-format bowler in the world.