Among sports persons, there are a kind who quietly embrace the stage with applaudable performances in bilateral clashes; there are others who choose the big stage to announce their arrival. Some struggle with high profile tournaments coming their way, while others bask in the glory of further responsibility of global events.
India have had a good run in ICC Events of late having won the World Cup in 2011 and the Champions Trophy in 2013. Here 5 Indian cricketers who used the ICC Champions Trophy as a launchpad have been mentioned below, one of whom is currently the national team’s captain across all formats.
#1 Zaheer Khan: ICC Knockout Trophy, 2000
Undoubtedly, India’s best fast bowler since the great Kapil Dev, Zaheer Khan gave the world fascinating memories with disciplined bowling in the then ICC KnockOut Trophy. Zaheer instantly grabbed all the attention with seven wickets at 24.14 in his debut series. Quick yorkers, for which he would be renowned later, came to the fore immediately against Kenya. Zaheer finished with 3/48 and in the following match, Adam Gilchrist and Steve Waugh were amongst his scalps.
Though injuries hindered Zaheer’s progress, they could not prevent him from mastering the art of swinging the new ball and reversing the old. He was highly effective even on lifeless sub-continental pitches and was a vital cog in India’s wheel during the successful 2011 World Cup campaign at home, ending with 21 wickets.
In 2007 came one of the most memorable chapters in his career – the England tour, where he tormented the opposition by swinging the Dukes ball both ways, thus returning home with 18 wickets at 20.33.
An year earlier, he had bagged 13 wickets in South Africa as well. Zaheer got a five-for at Wellington in 2014, in what turned out to be his final Test. Of late, he has been tipped to become India’s pace bowling coach, which, if happens, would be a treat for the younger generation.
#2 Yuvraj Singh: ICC Knockout Trophy, 2000
Yuvraj Singh has remained a fearsome figure with the bat in the last decade or so. When he hits the ball – in particular the white one – well, the bowlers are left scarred. And so were the Australians, who witnessed a hurricane innings from a teenage sensation 17 years ago. Unperturbed by rapid pace, he smashed 84 off 80 balls in just his second ODI, and a tough Australian unit was left bewildered.
With time, his big hits and glorious drives were proving to be menacing. His pairing with MS Dhoni won India plenty of matches, and was recognised for the typically modern attacking approach in the latter part of an innings. With experience, Yuvraj began to be renowned as a respected fielder and his part-time off-spin gained importance as well.
The 2007 World T20 was Yuvraj’s golden time. First, he tonked six sixes in an over against England before clobbering 70 off 30 deliveries against Australia as India ended up winners. His 362 runs and 15 wickets in the 2011 ODI World Cup at home meant India were triumphant and Yuvraj was the Man of the Tournament.
Then, however, he was diagnosed with cancer. But the warrior that Yuvraj has always been, he returned to the side in late 2012. His domestic performances earned him a comeback in ODIs in early 2017. At Cuttack against England, Yuvraj blasted 150 off 127 balls and turned the clock back for an accelerated stand with Dhoni yet again.
#3 Virat Kohli: ICC Champions Trophy, 2009
The poster boy of Indian cricket, Virat Kohli also found fame from the Champions Trophy. Kohli’s moment of reckoning came in 2009 when he got a half-century in an otherwise dull game against West Indies. As he has so consistently done since 2012, Kohli stitched together a vital stand to fashion an Indian win. A young Kohli finished on 79* and the seeds of success were sown. Later in the year, he cracked his maiden ODI ton, which came while chasing 316.
Ever since, sublime cover drives and delightful pulls have been flowing from Kohli’s blade regularly. His exploits while chasing have been especially splendid, and he confirmed his greatness in the longer format with four centuries in Australia in 2014-15.
A rarely seen orthodox technique in the modern day, Kohli has the ability to accelerate as well as build an innings. In the final of the 2013 Champions Trophy, it was Kohli’s 34-ball 43 which rescued India from trouble, as they won by 5 runs. And this time in 2017, he set the tone with an unbeaten 81* against Pakistan.
#4 Shikhar Dhawan: ICC Champions Trophy, 2013
Shikhar Dhawan’s blazing ODI knocks have only climbed long and lengthy ladders since the 2013 Champions Trophy, when he returned to the ODI set-up after 2011. India’s campaign had commenced with a new opening pair of Dhawan and Rohit Sharma, and the gamble worked throughout.
Dhawan, in particular, was the wrecker-in-chief, ending the tournament with two centuries and the Golden Bat after India won the final. He accumulated 363 runs at 90.75 and since then, has taken a special liking for ODI cricket.
Wearing his heart on his sleeve, Dhawan neatly pummels and punches the pacers around the point and cover region with elan, while reserving the clean flick if they pitch one down the leg. He also has the knack of unsettling spinners by using his feet repeatedly to upset their length.
Since 2013, Dhawan has adopted ICC ODI tournaments like his most favourite child. In his only fifty-over World Cup in 2015, Dhawan led from the front with 412 runs including two centuries. In his twin Champions Trophy participations combined – India have played only twice so far in 2017 – Dhawan has tallied 556 runs. Very consistent in this format, Dhawan’s form has put India in a fix to accommodate KL Rahul into the eleven once he returns from injury.
#5 Bhuvneshwar Kumar: ICC Champions Trophy, 2013
The primary reason for Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s ascent has been his accuracy with the new ball, irrespective of the format. That swinging the new ball both ways is his USP was there for all to see on his debut in 2012, when he claimed 3/9 in a T20 game and castled Mohammed Hafeez first ball with a beauty of an inswinger on his ODI debut.
Bhuvneshwar has ripped open the top orders of quite a few batting line-ups, and like some of his teammates, used the platform of a Champions Trophy game to make the opponents feel the heat. While in England during the 2013 tournament, Bhuvneshwar swung the ball beautifully and pocketed 6 wickets at 22.83. When India toured England in 2014, Bhuvneshwar was India’s Man of the Series in the Tests for snaring 19 wickets at 26.63 and being effective with the bat by garnering 247 runs.
Among other achievements, Bhuvneshwar became the first bowler to dismiss the greatest batsman of his era Sachin Tendulkar for a maiden first-class duck when he was not even 20. Not to put into oblivion, he has it in him to hang on with the bat and guide the tail. If only he can persist with his skills in the coming years, Bhuvneshwar can prove to be a very valuable asset for India, most markedly, in swinging and seaming conditions.
