“DHONI FINISHES OFF IN STYLE’’ remains one of the warmest and goosebumps giving statement by Ravi Shastri in the past few decades. Though it was an ICC World Cup event, it has ,over the time, taken the sweet spot amongst every cricket fan across the world.
Cricket is more than just a sport in India; it is an emotion, a unifying force that brings millions together. Among the many ICC events, Champions trophy , which is also called as MINI WORLD CUP, holds a special place. With a rich history and unforgettable moments, this tournament is not just about winning a title—it embodies the passion, legacy, and resilience of Indian cricket.
CURRENT RELEVANCE OF CHAMPIONS TROPHY
The currently played Champions Trophy is being played after a gap of 8 years which has made it a much sought after trophy cup for India . India’s dominance in cricket, specially in 50 over format, is well established since two decades. India has nearly missed the 50 over World Cup in 2023 while playing the final against Australia. What makes this trophy more interesting in current era is the marked presence of the best in the game like Hitman Rohit Sharma, King Kohli, inform Shubham Gill, stroke master Shreya’s Iyer etc.
A Brief History of India in the ICC Champions Trophy
The history of Champions Trophy makes it esteemed and well decorated trophy to win. Introduced in 1998, the tournament initially aimed to spread the sport’s global appeal. Over the years, India has showcased stellar performances, winning the title twice—in 2002 (joint winners with Sri Lanka) and 2013 under MS Dhoni’s captaincy. These victories solidified India’s position as a dominant force in world cricket.
The 2002 Champions Trophy saga
India was jointly handed the Champions trophy in 2002 with Sri Lanka. It showed a momentous turnaround of new India’s evolved journey in Cricket. Though the final couldn’t be played due to rain, still the 2002 Champions Trophy sealed the arrival of India at centre stage in World Cricket under Ganguly’s captain ship.
The 2013 Champions Trophy saga
The 2002 ICC Champions tournament was seized over by India against England by 5 runs. The Indian side has Golden Bat winner Shikha’s Dhawan, R . Ashwin , Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina among others to account for the historic tournament. Since then, India has never been able to win the trophy , though it played the final in 2017.
Unfinished Business of Champions Trophy
The experts and enthusiasts of cricket feel that India has a perfect squad and the best team to contend for the championship at present. Though the squad misses leading stalwart of Indian bowling attack Jaspreet Bumrah,still India presents the best possibility to win the trophy. Consequently, the trophy has been much hyped by BCCI and the current media channel because of the supposedly last possible ICC Championship trophy of Rohit Sharma and Virat together. Moreover, since Dhoni’s era, it has been long since India has consistently grabbed its hand on ICC trophies.
Though India won T-20 World Cup recently in 2024, but the aura of a 50 over championship is unmatchable. India lost 50 over World Cup as mentioned . It has consistently lost 3 final of Test Championship. This has created a visible scar on credibility of Indian team in big match events. However , as per experts India is best place in present conditions to win Hampton’s trophy. The presence of Ravindra Jadeja and Akshar Patel adds to the power of Indian ballistics.
IDEAL WIN
An ideal final for the championship would be the match between India and Australia , as these two are the best in the business. India needs to wreak its vengeance of 2023 ICC World Cup loss. If not a complete satiation, the trophy win would still be a great matter for Indians to be proud of.
