Comparing India's last 5 ODI series before the 2011 and 2023 World Cups
The preparations and squad selections are all done and dusted as Team India looks to taste World Cup glory for a third time in their rich history. The side will embark on living up to the expectations set by the 2011 side that was crowned World Champions on a famous evening at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma, captains for the 2011 and 2023 World Cups respectively, share an interesting connection. They are the joint-most successful IPL skippers, with five titles each.
The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper led India to three ICC titles- the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 ODI World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy. However, the current side has struggled to cross the final huddle in the multi-national ICC tournaments, with its last triumph coming way back in 2012.
The drought has extended to over a decade, and the home World Cup in 2023 gives the side a golden opportunity to quench the thirst of the Indian fans.
Though forgotten, the performances leading up to the showpiece event are often, in hindsight, a reflection of a team's form, confidence, and stability or lack thereof.
With that in mind, as Team India looks to replicate the magic from 12 years back, let us rewind and recap their last five ODI series before the 2011 and 2023 World Cups.
Mostly hits with a few misses heading into World Cup 2011
The first of India's final five ODI series heading into the World Cup was the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka in the middle of 2010. Unlike the recent edition, only four teams- India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh participated back then.
Led by MS Dhoni, India won two of their three games to qualify for the grand finale against the table-toppers and hosts Sri Lanka. However, come the big game, the Men in Blue took it up a notch and demolished the Lankans by 81 runs to win the Asian title after a 15 year-drought.
Brimming with confidence from the Asia Cup triumph, India played a tri-series in Sri Lanka, featuring New Zealand as the third team. While the hosts again finished on top of the points table with India at No.2, the tables turned in the summit clash as Sri Lanka emerged victorious by 75 runs.
Following the setback, India returned home and played the then-hattrick World Cup winners Australia in a three-match home series. While the first and the third games were washed out due to inclement weather, a Virat Kohli masterclass of 118 from 121 deliveries helped India pull off a 290-run chase in the second ODI to win the series 1-0.
The side continued their dominant run at home with an incredible 5-0 series win against New Zealand. Gautam Gambhir was named the Player of the Series for scoring a sensational 329 runs.
India's final preparatory ODI series before the World Cup was the tour of co-favorites South Africa. Following a closely fought 1-1 drawn Test series, the Men in Blue looked set to produce their first series win in South Africa with a 2-1 lead after three games.
However, the Proteas maintained their proud record against India, winning the final two matches and the series 3-2 despite a valiant effort by the Asian giants.
Marching into World Cup 2023 with an air of invincibility
Fast forward to 2023, and Team India began the first of their previous five ODI series with a resounding statement, crushing the 2019 World Cup finalists New Zealand 3-0 at home. Shubman Gill finally delivered on the promise he showed while coming up the ranks. He scored a double century and another century to be named the Player of the Series.
The Men in Blue suffered their only setback during this period in a surprising home series defeat to Australia after being up 1-0. However, all was forgotten as the IPL came and went before the side headed to the Caribbean for a three-match ODI series.
Although the side was without a few star players, the side stuttered with a shock defeat in the second game against the lowly West Indians before bouncing back with an emphatic 200-run win in the series decider.
With the start of the World Cup ever so closer, Team India returned to full strength for the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka that followed the West Indian tour and the Ireland T20Is.The side made a massive statement in the tournament, winning four of their five completed games.
It included an incredible 228-run win against arch-rivals Pakistan and a demolition of Sri Lanka in the final. The summit clash saw the Men in Blue bowl out the Lions for a paltry 50, with Mohammed Siraj picking up figures of 6/21. They completed the chase in the seventh over in one of the most lopsided finals in cricketing history.
If the message from the Asia Cup thumping wasn't loud and clear to the rest of the World, India showcased their ability to win without their stalwarts in the recently concluded Australian ODI series.
With Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and Kuldeep Yadav resting for the opening two games, Team India asserted their home dominance by taking an unassailable 2-0 series lead. Despite losing the final match, the 2011 World Champions won their fourth series out of the last five by a 2-1 margin.
Why 2023 pips 2011 in terms of the lead-up to the World Cup
Much like how a terrific string of results in ODIs led to Team India lifting the World Cup trophy in 2011, the die-hard fans will hope for a repeat in the upcoming edition.
There is a valid case to be made that the Men in Blue have fared even better in the lead-up to the current World Cup than in 2011. In both cases, the side asserted their dominance with an Asia Cup win in Sri Lanka.
However, in the matches leading up to and in the grand finale, India were more dominant this year than in 2010 despite facing much stiffer competition in the form of a stronger Bangladesh and Pakistan side.
They brushed aside New Zealand at home in both instances and pulled off a home series win against Australia in each case. However, the more recent form heading into the World Cup is where the current side pips the 2011 bunch.
The month before the mega event saw India thrash their competition in the Asia Cup and Australia this year. In comparison, they suffered a 2-3 defeat against South Africa in their final series before the 2011 World Cup.
Now, this side is tasked with replicating the magic produced by the 2011 squad and be crowned as ODI World Champions for the third time.