In an attempt to generate more revenues and also spread the game to different locations, A nine-team event called the Wills International Cup was formed in 1998, with the first edition being played in Bangladesh.
In the second edition, it was renamed the ICC Knockout Trophy and then finally renamed as the Champions Trophy.
Here we look back at the Indian squad for the inaugural event and where some of the are now:
1.Sachin Tendulkar
The Mumbai cricketer was India’s best batsman going into the competition, having had a staggering season already with the bat in hand. His defining performance in the competition came in the quarterfinal against Australia when he smashed 141 runs to help India post a score of 307 for 8 in their 50 overs, which proved to be too good for the Australians.
Tendulkar played in as many as 5 Champions Trophy editions, winning it once in 2002. After his retirement from the game in 2013, the 44-year-oldhas kept himself involved in the game through the Indian Premier League, where he mentors the Mumbai Indians.
A movie on his life will also be released on Friday.
2.Sourav Ganguly
The former India captain, playing his first major event for India, had a tournament to forget in Dhaka, making a mere 84 runs in 2 matches. 83 of those runs came in the semifinal against the West Indies, which the Men In Blue lost by 6 wickets.
He made up for that poor showing in the next edition, where his batting exploits were critical for India’s march to the finals. In all, he played in 3 Champions Trophy competition during the course of his career.
Ganguly is currently the President of the Cricket Association of Bengal and also part of BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee(CAC).
3.Mohammad Azharuddin(Captain)
The captain of the team that played in that competition, Azharuddin, like Ganguly, had a forgettable outing, making 1 and 0 in the two games that his side played. The event would turn out to be last Champions Trophy appearance and perhaps the worst, among all the major events, he took part in during the course of a 15-year career.
Presently, Azhar is serving as a Member of Parliament from Moradabad district in Uttar Pradesh.
4.Rahul Dravid
The 1998 Champions Trophy was the first major event of Rahul Dravid’s career. It proved to be a damp squib for the right-hander as he could manage just 68 runs in the 2 matches that he played in.
However, he would go on to become one of India’s most regular members in their squad for the event, featuring in as many six editions during the course of his career, the last appearance coming in 2009.
At present, Dravid is the coach of the India A and Under19 teams.
5.Ajay Jadeja
The right-hander, who was a key cog in the Indian middle-order during the 90’s excelled in the competition, scoring an important 71 in the quarterfinal, but not coming good in the semifinal.
That competition was one of the last sparks in Jadeja’s career, which got murky when the match-fixing scandal broke out the following year. Post that saga and after he had served his ban, he was roped in as an analyst and was seen on television during the Indian Premier League.
6.Robin Singh
The all-rounder in the squad, Robin Singh contributed little, both with bat and ball. The Trinidad-born cricketer, like Jadeja, played a key role in the 90’s, with his lusty hitting down the order and medium pace bowling with the ball. His fielding, however, was his biggest asset.
Robin played for India in the following Champions Trophy as well but retired a couple of years later. He served as the fielding coach of the Indian team for two years between 2007 and 2009 and is currently, part of the Mumbai Indians set up in the IPL.
7.Nayan Mongia
The wicket-keeper, who made useful contributions in the lower order did not have the greatest of times in the competition as he made 0 and 25 in the two innings. Mongia’s priority was behind the stumps and he was an able gloveman for a large part of his career, particularly against the spin of Anil Kumble, who made life difficult for them with his bounce.
Mongia played for India for the next three years before being replaced by Sameer Dighe for the Chennai Test against Australia in 2001. The Kolkata Test of 2001 was his last match for India.
8.VVS Laxman
The man from Hyderabad was part of the squad but played neither the quarterfinal nor the semifinal. He is currently mentoring the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL and also a part of the Cricket Advisory Committee.
9.Ajit Agarkar
The young seamer was just starting out his career but had almost one-and-all with his bowling in the first few tournaments that he had played in. Agarkar was the youngest of the quicks in the squad with Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad in the ranks and the event was more of a learning curve for the youngster.
Agarkar featured in 2000, 2004 and the 2006 Champions Trophy editions and in 2013, called it quits from all formats of the game.
10.Sunil Joshi
The left-arm spinner in the squad, Joshi had a good outing with the ball in the quarterfinal, when he took 2 for 57 in his 9 overs and then also picked up 0 for 35 in his 10 overs in the semifinal.
Joshi also featured in the 2000 edition of the tournament in Kenya and in 2012, retired from all forms of the game. He has since taken up coaching duties, helping Jammu and Kashmir to a memorable win over Mumbai a few years ago. He is presently coaching Assam in the Ranji Trophy.
11.Javagal Srinath
The spearhead of the Indian fast bowling attack at the time, Srinath had a decent outing in the competition, picking up 3 wickets in the two matches that he played in. In a country that has and continues to taste so much success in spin bowling, Srinath stood out, for his fast bowling abilities and many keen observers of Indian cricket do feel that had he got the support that he deserved at the time, he might have succeeded even more.
Post his retirement in 2003, he became a match referee with the ICC.
12.Anil Kumble
The man on whom hinged a large percentage of India’s hopes with the ball. Kumble had a forgettable tournament with the ball, picking up jus the solitary wicket against West Indies in the semifinal.
He competed in the 2000 and 2002 editions as well and is presently the head coach of the Indian cricket team.
13.Venkatesh Prasad
Prasad, at the time of the event, had already created a name for himself, for possessing one of the best leg-cutters in the ODI format. He may not have been the quickest of bowlers, but in terms of skill, he was very good, possessing a bagful of tricks.
He did not feature in any of the matches in the competition but played a key role in the 2000 edition when India reached the finals. He is currently the President of the India’s Junior Selection Committee.
Brand-new app in a brand-new avatar! Download CricRocket for fast cricket scores, rocket flicks, super notifications and much more! 🚀☄️
