Year in Review: Here’s how the Indian Men’s cricket team fared in 2020
The year 2020 was perhaps the strangest most of us have seen in our lives. How often have we been wrecked as badly by an invisible enemy? Much like almost everything, the industry of sports took a jolt too. However, after the collective efforts of many, it stood on its feet again. Let us take a look at how the year turned out for Indian cricket.
T20I
The year started for India through a three-match home series against Sri Lanka. While the first match in Guwahati got abandoned due to rain without a single ball bowled, India went on to win the next two encounters by 7 wickets and 78 runs at Indore and Pune, respectively.
In the following five-match series in New Zealand, India won at Auckland by 6 wickets in the series-opener, which was followed by another convincing 7-wicket victory at the same venue. The most intriguing clashes of the series would follow at Hamilton and Wellington, where India twice snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, defeating the hosts in Super Overs. Another thrilling 7-run victory at Mount Maunganui meant that India clean-swept New Zealand 5-0.
From records to personal milestones!
An overview of recently concluded T20I series between New Zealand & India.#NZvIND pic.twitter.com/pLWjHCw3Dk
— 100MB (@100MasterBlastr) February 3, 2020
The next India managed to play any T20I during 2020 was not any sooner than the recently-concluded series against Australia. Though through wins by 11 runs and 6 wickets at Canberra and Sydney, India took an unassailable lead in the three-match series, Australia won the final game at Sydney by 12 runs to avoid a clean sweep.
ODI
India lost to Australia in their first ODI of the year 2020 at Mumbai by 10 wickets, before victories at Rajkot and Bengaluru by 36 runs and 7 wickets, respectively, led India to clinch the three-match series 2-1. The following series against New Zealand, however, witnessed contrasting results for India. The Black Caps won by 4 wickets at Hamilton in the first game, which was followed by a 22-run victory at Auckland and another 5-wicket victory at Mount Maunganui to claim the series 3-0.
The three-match home series against South Africa was cancelled due to the pandemic, and the subsequent COVID-halt did not allow India to feature in another ODI until the recent series against Australia, where after losing the first two games in Sydney by 66 runs and 51 runs, respectively, India fought back and evaded a whitewash through a 13-run victory at Canberra, in the third and last ODI.
Test
India managed to feature in only four Tests in the year 2020. They started the year on a sour note with two humiliating defeats against New Zealand by 10 wickets and 7 wickets at Wellington and Christchurch, respectively. The break due to pandemic disallowed India to feature in any other Test until they resumed action through the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
The winning moment for India, captain @ajinkyarahane88 aptly playing the winning shot & the entire Indian contingent including all coaches & reserve players in the dugout cheering on #AusvIND pic.twitter.com/GiYIAC10X6
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) December 29, 2020
India’s resumption, however, was disheartening as they were handed an embarrassing defeat in Adelaide by 8 wickets after they tumbled out for their lowest Test score of 36. However, the year ended on a high through a historical win at Melbourne, as the Ajinkya Rahane-led team won by 8 wickets in the absence of Rohit Sharma, Ishant Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Mohammed Shami.
