 "Heartbreaks and triumphs: Top 5 moments for Team India in cricket in 2024")
The year 2024 was a rollercoaster ride for Indian fans. From the triumph in the ICC T20 World Cup that made the whole nation shed tears of joy to the shocking 0-3 whitewash in the Test series against New Zealand at home, fans experienced a spectrum of emotions.
We have shortlisted five moments of heartbreak and triumph for the Men in Blue in 2024 below. Let’s take a look.
1. The end of the ICC trophy drought
After enduring multiple so-close-yet-so-far moments in ICC tournaments over the last 11 years, the Rohit Sharma-led Team India finally gave the nation a night to remember on June 29, 2024. They edged past South Africa in the final of the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup by seven runs. Defending a total of 176, the Proteas were cruising at one point, but the Men in Blue held their nerves. When Suryakumar Yadav took the magical catch of David Miller in the final over, the whole nation knew their moment of celebration had arrived. India finally lifted their first ICC trophy since their Champions Trophy win under MS Dhoni in 2013.
2. Rohi-rat bid adieu to T20Is
While the nation was celebrating the T20 World Cup triumph, two cricketing legends and key contributors to India’s successful campaign—Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli—announced their official retirement from the shortest format of cricket to give the next generation a chance to step up. While their journey in T20Is has ended, their records will always keep them part of the discussion among T20 greats.
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3. Hyderabad heroics
After Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announced their T20I retirement, the Indian team welcomed fresh talents to their T20 setup along with a new skipper, Suryakumar Yadav. They silenced doubts about whether the team could thrive without the two legends. With a century from Sanju Samson and a half-century from skipper Suryakumar Yadav, India posted their highest T20 total of 297 against Bangladesh in Hyderabad. They later restricted Bangladesh to just 164, securing the match by 133 runs—India’s third-biggest margin of victory in T20Is—proving they remain as formidable a side for the future as they were in the past.
4. The shell-shock from Kiwis
After India’s record-breaking performance against Bangladesh, fans were confident of an easy series win over New Zealand at home. However, the Kiwis arrived with a different plan and whitewashed India 3-0 in the series. This marked India’s first Test series loss at home since 2012 and New Zealand’s first-ever Test series win on Indian soil.
5. Perth Test win
Coming fresh off a 0-3 defeat at home against New Zealand, no one expected India to secure a win over Australia in the first Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, especially without their regular skipper, Rohit Sharma. The predictions of critics seemed to be on the right track when Australia bowled India out for just 150 runs. However, India was not ready to give up easily. They made an impressive comeback by bowling Australia out for just 104 runs, taking an important 46-run lead in the first innings.
India then went on to dominate in the second innings, adding 487 runs and setting a massive target of 543 runs for Australia. The home team, however, failed to meet the target and was bowled out for just 238 runs in their second innings. This resulted in a massive 295-run victory for India, giving them a 1-0 lead in the series.
Despite a few setbacks, Team India in 2024 dominated the game, consistently keeping their fans entertained regardless of the challenges.