How India learnt to love One-day cricket

Rohit Mahajan

India have won 83 ODIs out of the 140 they've played in the 2010s, for a success rate of 59.28%. This is a remarkable statistic, and only Australia and South Africa have better success rates in the 2010s.

These numbers obscure some vital parameters — for instance, India played 52, or 37 percent, of these matches at home. They won 39 of these games, which inflates their total success rate to  59.28.

However, some other facts would establish the claim that India is a world power in One-day cricket. India won the World Cup in 1983 and 2011; reached the final in 2003; reached the semifinals in 1987 and 1996. They were unlucky to miss out in 1992, losing some very close matches. They've won the Champions Trophy in England in 2013, and the CB Series in Australia in 2008. 

India, indeed, are a force to reckon with in One-day International cricket.

It wasn't always so. In the initials years of the "instant" version of cricket, India were minnows. They struggled to come to terms with this frenetic version of the sport. 

The win in the 1983 World Cup changed that. India hit a purple patch in the middle of 1980s. Between 1983 and 1985, they won big tournaments, away from home. The World Cup was followed by wins in the Asia Cup, Rothman's Cup and the Mini-World Cup. All overseas tournaments. Suddenly, out of nowhere, India were a strong One-day team.

Their record in the 1970s was horrible, and that made the success in the 1980s really remarkable.

India won only one match in the first two World Cups in England, against East Africa. They lost to England, New Zealand, West Indies and Sri Lanka in a total of six matches in the 1970s World Cups. Their batting was clueless - their best run-rate against a big team was 3.83 against New Zealand, which translated to a measly 230 runs in 60 overs.

India won their first two games of the 1980s, against Australia and New Zealand, in Melbourne and Perth, respectively.

India have played 302 of their 872 One-day matches at home. Yet, they played their first home ODI only in November 1981. They played only six ODIs at home from 1980 to 1982. But the win in the 1983 World Cup changed all that. They played seven home ODIs in 1983 alone. In the 1980s, India played 65 ODIs at home. In the 1990s, they played 82 ODIs at home. The numbers have consistently risen. And so has India's success in ODIs. From minnows of the 1970s, India became an ODI power.

India's progression 

1 Match India won in the first two World Cups in 1975 and 1979. They won against the very weak East Africa, and lost to England, New Zealand, West Indies and even Sri Lanka, who had not then got Test status 

2 Matches India won out of 13 in the 1970s. The wins came against East Africa and Pakistan. That's a victory rate of 15.38%

69 Matches India won out of 155 in the 1980s. They won their first two ODIs of 1980s, against Australia and New Zealand. Their overall victory rate was 44.51%, a huge improvement.

122 Matches India won out of 257 played in 1990s, for a victory rate of 47.47%.

161 Matches India won out of 307 played in the 2000s, for a victory rate of 52.44%.

83 Matches India won out of 140 played so far in the 2010s, for a win rate of 59.28%