10 Tournaments where India Started as Favorites

It all started with a historical 3-0 win over Australia down under in January 2016 and the team carried forward the good momentum in the home series against Bangladesh, winning it 2-1, and then lifting the Asia Cup. With such dominating performances, it is needless to admit that India would be the team to beat in the 2016 ICC World T20. Most teams and pundits have already tagged India as the favorites to win the trophy. There have been instances in the past when the Men in Blue have been the top seed. So how did they perform back then? Here are the 10 major tournaments where India started as favorites:

1. ICC World Cup 1987

The World Cup moved out of England for the first time in 1987, with India and Pakistan co-hosting this edition of the World Cup. India, having won the 1983 World Cup, were billed pre-tournament favorites and were expected to defend their title successfully in familiar conditions. India dominated the group stages, earning victories against Australia, Zimbabwe and New Zealand to reach the semi-finals. The match, the last match ever played by Sunil Gavaskar, turned out to be an upset for Indian fans. Graham Gooch’s ton in the semis blew away Indian bowling as India eventually fell short by 35 runs. The performances of the players were hailed widely, though; with Gavaskar being India’s leading run-getter, Maninder Singh being the leading spinner of the tournament and Chetan Sharma picking up a hat-trick.

2. ICC World Cup 1996

With Sachin Tendulkar being termed as the next superstar of Cricket, India were in prime touch during the ICC World Cup 1996. With the tournament being played in the subcontinent, India were tipped to lift the World Cup. The Indian team didn’t disappoint either and made it to the semi-finals of the tournament. The people dreamt of an India-Pakistan final clash at Lahore, but it was Sri Lanka that stood between India and the finals. Playing at the Eden Gardens, India had a horrid batting collapse from 97/ to 120/8, after which ugly scenes took Centre stage. The crowd went wild and the match had to be called off.

3. Asia Cup 2010

Being played in Sri Lanka, Indian team looked in a good touch under the leadership of MS Dhoni. With the other teams still searching for a balanced squad, India looked well-settled and were the favorites to win the tournament. India started impressively, bowling out Bangladesh for just 164 and chasing it with 6 wickets to spare. India defeated Pakistan too but lost to Sri Lanka in the group stages. Indian opener Gautam Gambhir looked in good touch with two scores of 80-plus in the group stages. In the finals, India clashed with Lanka again and put up 268 on the board riding on Dinesh Karthik’s 66. A spell of 4/40 by Nehra blew away Sri Lanka as they bundled out for 187, giving India title win by 81 runs.

4. Asia Cup 2012

Having won the ICC World Cup in 2011 and being the defending champions, India were expected to lift the Asia Cup with ease in 2012. But a different story unfolded. India kickstarted with a win against Sri Lanka. Against Bangladesh, Sachin scored his 100^th International ton, but in vain. In the game against Pakistan, Kohli struck a masterly 183 to help India chase329. However, India failed to qualify for the finals and Pakistan and Bangladesh reached the finals running on a high net run rate. Kohli top scored the tournament with 357 runs in 3 matches.

5. ICC World Cup 2011

With India being the hosts, and the hype around the cricket world that the tournament would be Sachin Tendulkar’s last World Cup, all eyes were glued on the host nation. “Going by its present form, India definitely is the hot favorite to win the 2011 World Cup,” were the words of Imran Khan before the World Cup. India had a brutal run in the league stages, having lost just one game to South Africa and a tied game against England. Their supposedly toughest challenge came in the quarterfinals against Australia. But half-centuries from Tendulkar, Yuvraj and Gambhir saw India seal a memorable win. India clashed with arch-rivals Pakistan at Mohali to register a historic win in the semi-finals. The finals saw India clash with Sri Lanka at the Wankhede. India chased down 275 with Dhoni ‘finishing off in style’ with a six.

6. ICC Champions Trophy 2013

Having won the 2011 World Cup under MS Dhoni, the buzz was about the only ICC trophy that eluded Dhoni’s shelf, the ICC Champions Trophy. With the tournament being held in England, India were initially not in contention to lift the trophy. But with impressive wins in the warm-up matches, including a bowling effort that bundled out Australia for just 65, India grabbed many eyeballs. Soon, they were called the favorites alongside the hosts, England. It turned out to be true as the two teams clashed in a rain-affected final for the silverware. India successfully defended a lowly 129 to win the tournament by just 5 runs. Shikhar Dhawan was the find of the tournament, as he amassed 363 runs at an average of 90.75 in 5 matches.

7. ICC World T20 2014

With the tournament being played in Bangladesh, India were very well aware of the conditions and sub-continental wicket. Though India was not seen as a major T20 threat during 2014, India put up an impressive performance in the group stages, defeating all other teams in the group – West Indies, Pakistan, Australia and Bangladesh, to be tagged as the favorites to win the tournament. A gritty half-century from Virat Kohli against South Africa in the semi-finals saw India book a berth in the finals. However, their date with Sri Lanka wasn’t a pleasant one. Kohli followed up with another half-century but India could manage just 130 on the board which was chased down by Sri Lanka with 6 wickets in hand. On the personal front, Kohli had a heroic run, being the leading run scorer of the tournament with 319 runs in 6 innings.

8. ICC World Cup 2015

Having spent the entire summer in the Australian conditions, India were the only visiting team to know the conditions well down under during the ICC World Cup 2015. Though they were not tipped to lift the World Cup in their title defense, they were certainly seen as hot favorites to make it to the finals against the home team. India had beautiful run in the tournament, winning all their group stage matches. India dominated the proceedings and had picked up all ten opposition wickets in each game prior to the semis. It was the semi-final against Australia when the dream run of title defense ended as India could put up no fight against the Aussies. India crashed to 233 all out in the 47th over, losing the match by 95 runs and ending their title defence. The big positive for India was that for the first time ever in a Cricket World Cup, India finished the Group stage unbeaten, with their only loss in the tournament coming against the eventual champions Australia in the semi-final.

9. Asia Cup T20 2016

Asia Cup was played in T20 format for the first time in 2016. 5 teams made it to the main draw and all eyes were set on the side led by MS Dhoni, India. Not much was expected of UAE. Sri Lanka and Pakistan looked largely unsettled coming into the tournament. The only threat that India had was the hosts Bangladesh. Indian team came into the tournament with series wins against Australia and Sri Lanka and were tipped as the pre-tournament favorites. The men in blue did not disappoint either and defeated Bangladesh in the finals to lift the trophy.

10. ICC World T20 2016

With the ICC World T20 coming back to India, all eyes are closely set on the host nation. India, being in spectacular form, look like the team to beat in the tournament under the leadership of MS Dhoni. Indian line up boasts of all-rounders coming up to the number 7 slot, something that most teams would like to have in their teams too. Moreover, playing in the home conditions gave India an extra edge. All this has come in addition to the fact that India have been in a juggernaut form over the last couple of months. India whitewashed Australia 3-0 down under, defeated Sri Lanka 2-1 at home and then lifted the Asia Cup T20 too. No wonder. But India failed to lift the title as they lost against West Indies the semi-finals.