New Year wish lists and Indian cricket rarely seem to go together. In 2024, a billion prayers were finally answered when India won the T20 World Cup in June. This triggered at least as much relief as euphoria, given how the wait has stretched into more than a decade, even brokering a few career extensions.
Yet, more boxes must be ticked.
The year ahead is packed with events in which India have largely drawn a blank in recent times. The World Test Championship is one. There is also the Women's ODI World Cup, which India hosts this year.
Things kick off with the ICC Champions Trophy, in February-March, in Dubai and Pakistan. India's last appearance at this ODI tournament ended in one of the heaviest defeats ever: to Pakistan by 180 runs in 2017.
This, then, is a chance at redemption. Can Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja-who retired from T20 Internationals after last year's World Cup win-finish their one-day sojourn on a similar high? The build-up to the tournament has been less than ideal, with the International Cricket Council (ICC), Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and hosts Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in a deadlock over the venue for matches involving India.
The Indian government's stand, for some years, has been that it will not risk having its cricket team travel to Pakistan. A hybrid model was finally confirmed last month.
This story is from the January 01, 2025 edition of Hindustan Times.
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This story is from the January 01, 2025 edition of Hindustan Times.
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