Not for the first time is Ahmedabad set to become part of India's cricketing history. On Sunday, when Rohit Sharma tosses the coin, India will be the first team to play a thousand ODIs.
Debuting in July 1974, India reached the milestone in their 48th year as an ODI team. Having won two ODI World Cups (1983 and 2011), two Champions Trophies (2002, jointly and 2013) and the World Championship of Cricket (1985), India are arguably the second-best side in ODI history, after Australia.
Only Australia (581) have won more matches than India (518) in ODIs, and no other side has crossed the 500-win barrier.
Even the win-loss ratio reflects this. Despite a disappointing start to the format, in the 1970s, India’s win-loss ratio of 1.2 is only behind South Africa (1.77 from 638 ODIs) and Australia (1.74 from 958) among the ICC Full Members.
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Ahead of the India-West Indies’ first ODI, which happens to be the hosts’ 1,000th ODI, let us sail through history and look at India’s performances in the milestone matches.
India’s 1st ODI
England vs India, 1st ODI, Leeds | 13 July 1974
Asked bat on a lively wicket, India exceeded the expectations. Scoring at a brisk rate was not their forte, and they had just been whitewashed 0-3 in the Test series.
Sunil Gavaskar’s 35-ball 28 included three fours and a six, setting up the platform for captain Ajit Wadekar (67 off 82) and Brijesh Patel’s (82 off 78) middle-order blitz. It was somewhat surprising that the same Gavaskar would block his way to a 174-ball 36 not out a year later against the same opponent in a World Cup match. The Indian innings at Leeds folded for 265, with seven balls remaining.
The English put their experience in the shorter format to their best effect. John Edrich’s 97-ball 90 and Tony Greig’s 28-ball 40 ensured they completed the chase in the 52nd over.
India 265 in 53.5 overs (Brijesh Patel 82; Chris Old 3-43) lost to England 266/6 in 51.1 overs (John Edrich 90; Eknath Solkar 2-31) by 4 wickets with 23 balls remaining.
India’s 50th ODI
India vs Pakistan, 2nd ODI, Jaipur | 2 October 1983
It took India over nine years to play their 50th ODI. That came against arch rivals Pakistan at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur on a slow wicket where scoring was difficult.
The second ODI of the series was sandwiched between the second and third Test matches, and was played on the national holiday of Gandhi Jayanti. World champions India had already won the first ODI. Electing to bowl, they now restricted Pakistan to 166/9 in 46 overs. Except for captain Zaheer Abbas (48 off 59), others struggled to get going.
Though India won with over five overs to spare, it was not a smooth chase. Sandeep Patil made the difference with a blazing 28-ball 51 to seal the series 2-0 in India’s favour.
Pakistan failed to win a single match on the tour as the three Tests ended in a draw.
Pakistan 166/9 in 46 overs (Zaheer Abbas 48; Madan Lal 3-27) lost to India 169/4 in 40.4 overs (Sandeep Patil 51; Mohammad Nazir 2-37) by 4 wickets with 32 balls remaining.
India’s 100th ODI
India vs Australia, 2nd ODI, Srinagar | 9 September 1986
India took another three years to play their next 50 ODIs. The 100th match, against Australia in Srinagar, was the second ODI of the famous 1986/87 tour that is remembered best for the tied Test.
Sent to bat, India were cruising with Gavaskar dictating terms before a run out changed things. Dilip Vengsarkar retiring hurt further dented the batting fortunes as India finished with 222/8 in their 47 overs.
Australia’s batting was held together by their skipper Allan Border. With wickets tumbling at one end, Border’s grit saw Australia through in the penultimate over. Though they lost the series 2-3, Border’s men returned to India a year later to win their first World Cup, which later became a habit.
The India-Australia ODI was the last international match hosted at Srinagar’s Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium.
India 222/8 in 47 overs (Sunil Gavaskar 52; Bruce Reid 2-37) lost to Australia 226/7 in 46 overs (Allan Border 90*; Roger Binny 2-25) by three wickets and 6 balls remaining.
India’s 500th ODI
England vs India, NatWest Trophy, Chester-le-Street | 4 July 2002
India’s 500th ODI was lit up by a Sachin Tendulkar hundred, but rain had the final say, forcing a promising contest to end as no result.
Sourav Ganguly called it right at the toss, elected to bat, and was trapped in front by Darren Gough off the first ball of the match. Batting at No. 4, Tendulkar stroked a dazzling century, adding 169 for the fourth wicket with Rahul Dravid (82 off 117). Yuvraj Singh’s 19-ball 40 not out gave India the much-needed boost at the end to reach 285.
England batted just 75 balls before the weather had its final verdict on a rare day-night affair in the country.
Less than 10 days later, the sides met in the final, where India pulling off a sensational chase of 326, which is regarded as one of the finest moments in their cricketing chronicles.
India 285/4 in 50 overs (Sachin Tendulkar 105*; Darren Gough 2-52) vs England 53/1 in 12.3 overs (Marcus Trescothick 23; Zaheer Khan 1-31). No result.
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India’s 900th ODI
India vs New Zealand, 1st ODI, Dharamsala | 16 October 2016
On 16 October 2016, India became the first team to play 900 ODIs when they hosted New Zealand for the first match of the five-ODI series at the scenic Dharamsala. The match also marked the debut of Hardik Pandya, who received his cap from Kapil Dev.
Electing to bowl, India had New Zealand on the mat at 48/5. Tom Latham went on to carry his bat, while a late blitz from Tim Southee (55 off 45) helped New Zealand to 190.
The genius of M.S. Dhoni’s leadership also saw him unearth a bowler in part-time wicketkeeper Kedar Jadhav (2-6), who was making a comeback, filling in for the injured Suresh Raina.
India completed the chase with almost 17 overs to spare, with Virat Kohli etching another master class (85* off 81). India went on to win the closely-fought series 3-2.
New Zealand 190 in 43.5 overs (Tom Latham 79*; Hardik Pandya 3-31) lost to India 194/4 in 33.1 overs (Virat Kohli 85*; Ish Sodhi 1-34) by 6 wickets and 101 balls remaining.
Some ODI stats for India:
Most matches:
Sachin Tendulkar (463), M.S. Dhoni (347), Rahul Dravid (340)
Most runs:
Sachin Tendulkar (18,246), Virat Kohli (12,285), Sourav Ganguly (11,221)
Most centuries:
Sachin Tendulkar (49), Virat Kohli (43), Rohit Sharma (29)
Highest scores:
Rohit Sharma (264), Virender Sehwag (219), Rohit Sharma (209)
Best batting averages (min: 2,000 runs):
Virat Kohli (58.8), M.S. Dhoni (50.2), Rohit Sharma (49)
Best batting strike rates (min: 1,000 runs):
Hardik Pandya (116.9), Virender Sehwag (104.4), Kedar Jadhav (101.6)
Most wickets:
Anil Kumble (334), Javagal Srinath (315), Ajit Agarkar (288)
Best bowling:
Stuart Binny (6-4), Anil Kumble (6-12), Ashish Nehra (6-23)
Best economy rates (Minimum 50 wickets)
Kapil Dev (3.7), Maninder Singh (3.9), Madan Lal (4)
Best bowling averages (Minimum 50 wickets)
Amit Mishra (23.6), Jasprit Bumrah (25.4), Mohammed Shami (25.6)
Most catches (not as wicketkeeper)
Mohammad Azharuddin (156), Sachin Tendulkar (140), Virat Kohli (134)
Most dismissals (as wicketkeeper)
M.S. Dhoni (438), Nayan Mongia (154), Kiran More (90)
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