There is a level of optimism surrounding the India men’s national cricket team that has not been felt so completely for a number of years. While it has not been without its patchy moments, the summer of 2022 offered up some incredible displays from the Indian cricket team.
There appears to be a blend between both cohesion on the pitch and connection off it that is rare within sport. It can’t be fully articulated or measured but when you feel it, you really feel it. It is the same electric feeling that surrounds the cricket leagues in India, except there is an entire nation coming together as one to support the Men in Blue.
Following a 2-1 T20 win over England in July of 2022, there was a feeling of severe belief surrounding the Indian cricket team. It’s not that the victory itself was a colossal upset, but the manner in which it happened could put a smile on even the most cynical of Indian cricket fans. Yes, there was a feeling both inside the team and amongst the fans that India could go toe to toe with England – a team that many look to as the team to currently beat – but the performance itself featured many a hair raising moment. In essence, India breezed England, propelling into action from ball one.
This was quickly followed up by a 2-1 ODI victory over an England side on home soil looking to get revenge over the previous aforementioned T20 loss. India defeated England by five wickets in the third one-day international game, meaning they won the series 2-1. The game took place at Old Trafford, a stadium in which England are usually the dominant force, which only added to the achievement. With the help of Rishabh Pant, who hit his very first ODI century, India chased down 260 with a total of 47 balls to spare. In addition to this stellar individual display, this was a team performance that will live long in the memory when it comes to India’s greatest ODI victories.
From the very moment India won the toss and chose to bowl first, there was a sense that they were not going to let anything slip. India had a flair and versatility that only the greatest cricket teams posses, once again filling the nation with a sense that this team could soon do something very, very special.
These sensational displays against England could not be indulged upon for too long though with ODI and T20 fixtures against the West Indies to follow. India appeared to not miss a trick with a 3-0 ODI series victory, cementing this feeling of optimism securely in the hearts of Indian cricket fans up and down the country. If there was a cloud higher than nine, then the Indian cricket players surely had a table reserved there for their post-series dinner. However, there was not long to celebrate with their T20 fixtures coming around, once again against the West Indies, just two days after this series win.
In this series, India led 3-1 going into the final T20 fixture and suitably made it 4-1 beating the West Indies by 88 runs. Whatever happens in the future for this current crop of Indian cricket players, the summer of 2022 will stand as a moment in time that offered a severe sense of enthusiasm in the hearts of their fans. This is a team that their fans want to watch, want to form a relationship with, and want to follow through thick and thin. In truth, this bond between the Indian cricket team and its fans never fully breaks, but it is times like these that truly remind you of why it is such a crucial part of the culture in the nation.