The fabulous 15 : 15 Unforgettable moments in India’s cricketing history.

15 August is a day that makes every Indian a little more patriotic. After years of British rule, independence was achieved. And as the decades post 1947 passed, Indian cricket too grew louder in stature as they produced players that re- wrote record books

From Lala Amarnat leading for the first time, to the historic win in 1971 in the West Indies and a couple of historic wins at lords and Melbourne, Indian cricket has produced moments that has enthralled and riveted every fan in equal measure.

On the independence day special, PitchPoint lists 15 iconic moments that were not just witnessed, but also lived.

15 : The Melbourne miracle (India vs Australia, 3rd test, Melbourne, 1981)

Before 1983, there was one of the most underrated Indian wins in 1981. And it came at a time when everyone was injured. A match where, despite Gundappa Vishwanat scored a superb 114, Australia  still managed to get a healthy lead of 182 with the ever majestic Alan Border scoring a sublime 124

In the second innings, India scored 324 runs courtesy a 150 run opening partnership between Sunil

Gavaskar and Chetan Chauhan, but the rest of the batting line up failed and India set a modest target of 142 runs. But little did Australia know that Kapil Dev would run riot in the most riveting fashion. He picked up 5/28 despite an injured thigh and helped India square the series in style.

14 : Cape town conquered ( India vs South Africa, 2nd test 2024)

19 November was a wound still fresh. But a young Indian team under KL Rahul still made amends by winning an ODI series in South Africa later that year. But the the actual win came in the second test at Newlands on a wicket greener than than any other wicket

Electing to bat first, South Africa were blown away for a mere 55 runs as Mohammad Siraj was the wrecker in chief as he picked up 6/12 in a single session.

But in another twist, India went from 153/4 to 153 all out as Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada were the key destroyers. Although Aiden Markram scored a wonderful second innings 100, a robust Indian bowling performance ensured that the target was only 80, which India chased down and became the 1st ever Asian side to win in Newlands.

13 : Harman preet Kaur and her girls settle the debate. ( ICC Women's World Cup 2025)

It almost happened with Mithali Raj in 2017. It almost happened with Rohit Sharma in 2023. After two almosts, a 50 over world cup was held in India yet again, but this time it was the women in blue who had a job on their hands. The journey was never without its blips. They lost to Australia and England, but managed to beat New Zealand and set up a semi final date with Australia. 

Jemi Rodrigues, then, in the semi final showed remarkable class as her ton pushed the Aussies out of the tournament in an unforgettable run chase. Richa Ghosh and then Amanjyot kaur applied the finishing touches and a glorious opportunity beckoned.

In the final too, the hosts were put under pressure by a Laura Woolvart special but Deepti Sharma and that catch from Amanjyot Kaur ensured that the women in blue made up for the disappointment of 2023.

12 : The Kiwis Humbled in Hamilton ( New Zealand vs India, 1st test, 2009)

New Zealand is the one place where India has consistently struggled. But under MS Dhoni's golden run, this poor record was overturned as well. And it came in the first test at Hamilton.

Electing to bat first, New Zealand were bowled out for 279 as Ishant Sharma and Munaf Patel shared 7 wickets between them.Jesse Ryder and Daniel Vettori did save the Kiwis from the blushes but India were firmly in control.

A magnificent 160 from Sachin Tendulkar and a 6 wicket haul from Harbhajan Singh ensured that the target in the second innings was just 39 runs and the openers knocked it off with ease.  A draw in the second innings made sure India won their first ever test series in Kiwi land.

11 :  South Africa’s  Durban Decimation ( South Africa vs India 2nd test 2010)

Before 2024, there was a 2010. And this win makes it more special as it came under tougher circumstances. India were hammered in Centurion in the boxing day test in 2010 despite Sachin Tendulkar’s 50th test match hundred. 

They came to Durban with a series loss looming as they were shot out for 205 in their first essay. But Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan had other ideas . The duo shared 7 wickets amongst them as India bowled the hosts out for a mere 131 runs and secure a crucial 74 run lead.

In the second innings, India’s ever dependable saviour, Vvs Laxman scored a sublime 96 to help India set a target of 305. Zaheer again, this time with Sreesanth ran through the South African outfit to help India secure a memorable 87 run win. Sreesanth’s bouncer to Jacques Kallis was the highlight as MS Dhoni's army leveled the series in style.

10 : The Adelaide oval conquered courtesy “THE WALL” ( Australia vs India, 2nd Test 2003)

India’s tour of Australia had always been a nightmare. But the 2003/04 series was an exception. After a magnificent 144 in the series opener by captain Sourav Ganguly, the Indian team pulled off a miracle in Adelaide.

Australia posted a mammoth 556. Ricky Ponting scored a sensational 242 runs and India were 85/4. Another whitewash loomed. But Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman were the hosts’ nemesis once again. After the miracle of Eden two years ago, they once again put on a 300 run partnership and Rahul Dravid this time scored a massive 233. India though gave away a lead of 26 runs but Ajit Agarkar was the hero in the second essay. 

His 6/33, a spell that etched its name in cricket history helped bundle out Australia for a mere 196. Chasing 233, Rahul Dravid once again held one end and helped India beat Australia in Australia after a gap of 22 years.

9 : India script historic ODI series win in Australia ( CB series 2008)

The 2007/08 tour of Australia was one of their toughest assignments. After the monkeygate scandal which involved a spat between Andrew Symonds and Harbhajan Singh, India somewhat regained confidence after their win in Perth, but the best was yet to come.

Ricky Ponting had announced before the start of the commonwealth bank series, also a tri series involving Sri Lanka that his team needed only two finals to add another trophy to their cabinet.

Well, he was right, but not entirely. After India had to overpower Sri Lanka to set up a best of 3 finals with Australia, they decided to bring their A game. In the first final, after the hosts were restricted to a mere 239, it was Sachin Tendulkar’s time to step up. He overturned a unique statistic of not scoring an ODI hundred in Australia to score a match winning 117. 

Rohit Sharma played an important knock too as India chased down the target in 39 overs. In the second final in Brisbane, Indian posted a sub par score of 258 as Sachin again scored 91. But Praveen Kumar, Irfan Pathan and  Sreesanth picked wickets at regular intervals to script a memorable win for India down under. The highlight of the two finals was Harbhajan dismissing Symonds twice to complete a full circle.

8 : Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif script history at the home of cricket ( Natwest series 2002)

Six years before they conquered Australia, India rewrote history on a picture postcard day at Lords.  The occasion- another tri series. This one involved England and Sri Lanka, but just had one final. 

On the 13th of July 2002, India played hosts England who piled up a gargantuan 325 runs on the board courtesy terrific hundreds by Marcus Trescothick and Nasser Hussain. In reply, India slipped from 106/1 to 146/5.  

Yuvraj Singh then joined hands with Mohammad Kaif as they scripted a riveting turn around. Even though Yuvraj was dismissed, Kaif along with Harbhajan and Zaheer helped India cross the line and seal a win that even gives you gooseflesh 24 years later.

7 : Ajinkya Rahane and co pull off a series win for the ages. ( Australia vs India, Test series 2020/21)

2021. India bowled out for 36. Virat kohli leaves the team for the birth of his child. Rahane leads the team. The result- a historic boxing day win. Then the third test… where half of the team is injured. But still Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari bat for hours to savour a draw.

The teams then assembled at the gabba… and what followed made every Indian’ chest fill with pride. With inexperienced bowlers like Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini and T Natarajan, no one would have imagined as to what the Indian team would be able to pull off.

Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar, Mohammad Siraj and Cheteshwar Pujara all played their parts and Rishabh Pant was the icing on the cake as India chased down more than 300 runs on the final day to beat Australia at the Gabba for the first time ever and re iterate the fact that this was the best day to be an Indian.

6 : THE DESERT STORM ( Coco Cola cup, Sharjah, 1998).

No one dominated Australia in the 90s like Sachin Tendulkar. The veteran Indian batsman was always a thorn in their flesh and the desert storm in Sharjah was an emphatic testament to the fact. 

The first of the two “GOATED” knocks came in the qualifying round as India needed 250 to qualify. Tendulkar, despite a desert storm interrupting the proceedings scored a majestic 143 as he took down the Australian bowling with ease and took India to the final. 

The final coincided with his 25th birthday, but he decided to gift his fans with another special innings. 134 of the most glorious runs and single handily won the Coco cola cup for India. The knock still gives nightmares to the Aussies and Sachin himself fondly remembers it when asked.

5 : India dominate Pakistan in their own backyard (India tour of Pakistan, 2004)

In what was a historic tour after 15 years, India’s domination of Pakistan was one for the archives. It started with a terrific first Odi where more than 700 runs were scored and the Sachin vs Shoaib battle started.

Pakistan went on to take a 2-1 lead in the series before India pulled things back in the final 2 odis winning a historic ODI series. But the actual drama was in the test matches to follow.

Virender Sehwag became the first Indian to score a triple century and Sachin Tendulkar was unbeaten on 194 in that game which involved a controversial declaration. But that aside, Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan, Balaji and the other bowlers ripped through the batting line up in all 3 games as India achieved the double of winning an ODI as well as test series in Pakistan.

4 : The UNFORGETTABLE KOLKATA KLASSIC ( 2nd test, India vs Australia 2001)

Steve Waugh’s Australia was on a rampage in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. They came to India to conquer the final frontier. And that started with a bang at the Wankhede Stadium where they bundled out the hosts inside 3 days. Then came the Kolkata test match, a test match which every Australian would like to forget.

Batting first, Australia piled up a massive 445 thanks to centuries from Steve Waugh and Adam Gilchrist. In reply, India were bowled out for a mere 171, but VVS Laxman showed a glimpse of what was coming. In the second innings, he and Rahul Dravid stitched a partnership of 376 runs to set Australia a target of 384 runs. Hat trick hero Harbhajan Singh and an under rated leg spinner named Sachin Tendulkar bowled out Australia for 212 on the final day.

India then went on to win the third test and the series ensuring that Steve Waugh left Indian shores without a series win. 

3 : A young long haired Captain scripts history (ICC T20 world cup 2007)

The 2007 50 over world cup was an absolute nightmare for Indian fans. Knocked out in the round robin format, there was gloom all over the country. Fast forward to September.  MS Dhoni was chosen to lead a young team for the inaugural edition of the T20 world cup. India literally went into the competition with zero expectations. 

The Indian team had many memorable highlights in the tournament. Be it the six sixes by Yuvraj Singh, his semi final innings against Australia, the Pakistan game which ended in a tie, the South African game where Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni and RP Singh knocked South Africa out of the competition and then the final. 

Gautam Gambhir, a cameo from Rohit Sharma again and RP Singh yet again and Irfan Pathan picked up key wickets before Misbah- ul haq threatened to take the game away. But MS Dhoni’s luck favoured him when it mattered the most as he threw the ball to rookie Joginder Sharma. Joginder induced the false shot by Misbah and Sreesanth took the catch to send the nation into frenzy. 

2 :  MS Dhoni and co. scale cricket’s ultimate mount everest (ICC Cricket world cup 2011)

Till 2011, MS Dhoni had a couple of trophies but the one which matters the most was still missing - The ODI world cup. In Sachin Tendulkar’s last world cup, India entered the tournament as the favourites and played like favourites. 

A tie against England and an unexpected loss against South Africa did threaten to derail the campaign a bit, but they peaked at the right time and pulled off two riveting wins against Australia and Pakistan in the quarters and semi finals. 

And then the finals. A packed Wankehde Stadium. A chase of 275. India struggled at 31/2. Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli started building until the latter was dismissed. Enter MS Dhoni. A forgettable world cup so far. He turned it into an unforgettable one with just one innings. He along with Gambhir and then Yuvraj Singh, India’s most dependable man finished the job off and that reaction of hitting the winning six is still fresh in Indian minds, 15 years later. 

1 : A GENERATION DEFINING WORLD CUP WIN (Prudential world cup 1983)

15 players. One world cup game won. That too against East Africa. The Indian team entered English shores with an abysmal record behind them. Never in their wildest dreams did they believe that they would win a single game, leave alone the tournament. But they started terrifically as they beat the West Indies and then even lost to them and Australia. But then the defining moment. 17/5 against Zimbabwe. Kapil Dev walks out and scores a magnificent 175 at Dunbridge wells which propelled the team to push for a win. And they do win. They set up a semi final date against England and beat them to set up a final against the mighty West Indies team. 

25th June 1983. India bat first and score a modest 183 runs with K Shrikant top scoring with a quickfire 38. The West Indies backed themselves to chase this down in a canter. Gordon Grenage cleaned up by Balwinder Singh Sandhu and Kapil Dev taking the catch to dismiss the mighty Viv Richards were the defining moments of the game as India defended the score to inspire billions of young Indian cricketers to take up the sport.  A truly GENERATION DEFINING WORLD CUP WIN