Table of Contents
India are one of the favourites to win the Champions Trophy 2025. The team is high on confidence with their recent triumph in white ball cricket. Several players in the Indian team have had a glimpse of success throughout their careers in different tournaments including in the Champions Trophy. The Indian squad is star-studded with players with the right kind of temperament for crucial high-stakes matches and thus the Indian side can prove detrimental to their rivals during the tournament.
Gaining crucial momentum before Champions Trophy 2025
After a rough path in Test cricket against Australia where they suffered a series loss against Australia, India made a stunning return to winning ways by defeating England convincingly in the T20I and ODI format. The team had a solid start to their campaign and were unbeaten in both formats, barring the T20I clash in Rajkot. The series saw the rise of several young talents who proved their worth in the team while seasoned players like Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, and Shreyas Iyer also gained their rhythm back.
As the team enters into its Champions Trophy preparations after the triumph against England, here is a look back at India’s performance in Champions Trophy history.
India’s record in the ICC Champions Trophy history
India’s journey in the ICC Champions Trophy has been marked by remarkable achievements and memorable performances. Participating in all eight editions since its inception in 1998, India has secured the title twice and finished as runners-up on two occasions.
1998: A disappointing end in the semi-finals
The inaugural tournament, then known as the ICC KnockOut Trophy, saw India advance to the semi-finals. After a victory against Australia in the quarter-finals, India faced South Africa in the semi-final but couldn’t secure a win, marking their exit from the tournament.
- Best Batting Performance: Sourav Ganguly – 141* vs South Africa (Semi-final)
- Best Bowling Performance: Anil Kumble – 4/12 vs Australia (Quarter-final)
- Highest Run-Getter: Sourav Ganguly–141 runs in 2 matches
- Highest Wicket-Taker: Anil Kumble–6 wickets in 2 matches
2000: Runners-ups
In the 2000 edition held in Kenya, India showcased a strong performance. Led by captain Sourav Ganguly, the team reached the final after defeating Kenya and South Africa in the earlier rounds. In the final against New Zealand, despite setting a competitive target, India fell short as New Zealand chased down the total, leaving India as the runners-up.
- Best Batting Performance: Sourav Ganguly – 141* vs South Africa (Semi-final)
- Best Bowling Performance: Venkatesh Prasad – 3/27 vs South Africa (Semi-final)
- Highest Run-Getter: Sourav Ganguly- 348 runs in 3 matches (2 centuries)
- Highest Wicket-Taker: Venkatesh Prasad – 6 wickets in 3 matches
Also Read: CT 2025: New Zealand’s record in ICC Champions Trophy history
2002: Joint winners with Sri Lanka
The 2002 Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka ended uniquely with India and the host nation being declared joint winners. Persistent rain led to the final being washed out on two consecutive days, and as a result, both teams shared the trophy.
- Best Batting Performance: Virender Sehwag–126* vs England (Semi-final)
- Best Bowling Performance: Virender Sehwag–3/25 vs South Africa (Semi-final)
- Highest Run-Scorer: Virender Sehwag–271 runs in 4 matches
- Highest Wicket-Taker: Harbhajan Singh–5 wickets in 4 matches
2004-2009: Group stage exit
The subsequent editions from 2004 to 2009 were challenging for India. The team couldn’t progress beyond the group stages in these tournaments, facing stiff competition and unable to secure the necessary wins to advance. The 2006 campaign was particularly disappointing for the team since they failed to leave a mark on the tournament on the home soli. Thus, India’s performances in the Champions Trophy during this time are a sad patch for the team in the tournament’s history.
2004 ICC Champions Trophy (England):
- Best Batting Performance: Rahul Dravid–67* vs Kenya
- Best Bowling Performance: Ashish Nehra–4/35 vs Kenya
- Highest Run-Getter: Rahul Dravid–81 runs in 2 matches
- Highest Wicket-Taker: Ashish Nehra–4 wickets in 2 matches
2006 ICC Champions Trophy (India):
- Best Batting Performance: Virender Sehwag–65 vs England
- Best Bowling Performance: Munaf Patel–3/18 vs England
- Highest Run-Scorer: Virender Sehwag–106 runs in 3 matches
- Highest Wicket-Taker: Munaf Patel–4 wickets in 3 matches
2009 ICC Champions Trophy (South Africa):
- Best Batting Performance: Rahul Dravid–76 vs Pakistan
- Best Bowling Performance: Ashish Nehra–4/55 vs Pakistan
- Highest Run-Scorer: Rahul Dravid–121 runs in 2 matches
- Highest Wicket-Taker: Ashish Nehra–4 wickets in 2 matches
2013: Triumphant victory
The 2013 Champions Trophy in England marked a significantly high point for India. Under the leadership of MS Dhoni, India dominated the tournament, winning all their matches. In a rain-affected final against the host nation, India clinched a thrilling 5-run victory, securing the championship. Shikhar Dhawan emerged as a standout performer, earning the “Golden Bat” for scoring the most runs in the tournament. This victory also made MS Dhoni the first captain to have won all three major ICC trophies: the World Cup, World T20, and the Champions Trophy.
- Best Batting Performance: Shikhar Dhawan – 114 vs South Africa (Group Stage)
- Best Bowling Performance: Ravindra Jadeja – 5/36 vs West Indies (Group Stage)
- Highest Run-Scorer: Shikhar Dhawan – 363 runs in 5 matches (Golden Bat winner)
- Highest Wicket-Taker: Ravindra Jadeja – 12 wickets in 5 matches (Golden Ball winner)
2017: Runners-ups for the second time
The 2017 edition saw India reaching the final yet again. The team performed impressively throughout the tournament but faced a formidable Pakistan side in the final. Despite their efforts, India couldn’t overcome Pakistan, finishing as runners-up.
- Best Batting Performance: Shikhar Dhawan–125 vs Sri Lanka (Group Stage)
- Best Bowling Performance: Bhuvneshwar Kumar–2/23 vs Bangladesh (Semi-final)
- Highest Run-Scorer: Shikhar Dhawan–338 runs in 5 matches (Golden Bat winner)
- Highest Wicket-Taker: Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah–7 wickets each in 5 matches
