2025: A Year of Triumphs and Trials in Indian Cricket

A Year of Contrasts in Indian Cricket

Bengaluru: The Indian women's cricket team celebrated a historic World Cup victory, while the men's team faced significant challenges, culminating in a disappointing home Test series. This juxtaposition made 2025 a year filled with 'glorious uncertainties' for cricket enthusiasts in India.

The men's squad achieved notable success by winning both the Champions Trophy (ODI) and the Asia Cup (T20), while the women secured their first-ever 50-over World Cup title.

However, a 0-2 defeat against South Africa in the Test series highlighted the men's team's struggles in the longer format, despite the leadership of head coach Gautam Gambhir, who remained a fierce competitor through both victories and setbacks.

Why focus on a single setback when the year was largely successful? A look back at the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy provides insight.

The men's team suffered a 1-3 series loss, marking the end of Test careers for stars like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, while R Ashwin had already retired during the previous tour in Australia.

Despite their ODI futures being a topic of discussion, both Rohit and Kohli demonstrated their commitment by participating in domestic matches as required by the BCCI.

Cheteshwar Pujara also announced his retirement from international cricket, leaving a significant gap in the middle order that is currently struggling to find stability.

India's journey in the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle (2025-27) is being led by new captain Shubman Gill and a group of emerging talents, with mixed results thus far.

The year began positively, with a youthful Indian side drawing a five-match away series against England 2-2, led by Gill, who scored 754 runs at an impressive average of 75.40, including four centuries—the second-highest run tally for a captain after Don Bradman's 810 in the 1936-37 Ashes.

Building on this momentum, India convincingly defeated the West Indies (2-0) at home, suggesting a smooth transition into a new era.

However, fortunes can shift dramatically in Test cricket.

South Africa's Challenge

A skilled South African off-spinner, Simon Harmer, shattered India's optimism. A well-prepared Temba Bavuma's Proteas ended a 25-year wait to win a Test series against India.

This defeat felt like part of a troubling trend, as India had also faltered against New Zealand spinners at home last year.

These failures exposed a vulnerability against spin bowling, a stark contrast to the past when legendary spinners often left Indian shores with bruised egos.

Now, even average spinners can outsmart Indian batters, as evidenced by their inability to chase down a modest target of 124 runs.

Currently, India sits sixth in the WTC points table, and with challenging tours to Sri Lanka and New Zealand scheduled for 2026, the prospect of reaching the finals seems increasingly unlikely.

If India does not adopt a broader perspective on player selection and combinations, the next year could also be disappointing in the traditional format.

Dominance in White Ball Formats

On the brighter side, the white-ball formats continued to shine for India.

The team went through the ICC Champions Trophy in Dubai and later the Asia Cup at the same venue without a loss, showcasing their dominance in ODIs and T20Is in this region.

These victories provided Gambhir with some leverage following a poor run in Test cricket.

If the performances of 2025 serve as a benchmark, fans can anticipate an exciting 2026, with both men's and women's teams preparing for T20 World Cups.

A Year of Change for Women Cricketers

In many ways, 2025 was a landmark year for women's cricket. The Under-19 team successfully defended its T20 title in February, setting a positive tone for the year.

Despite their evident talent, the senior women's team has historically struggled against Australia, New Zealand, and England in global tournaments.

However, during this year's 50-over World Cup, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led team triumphed over Australia and New Zealand, ultimately defeating South Africa in the final to claim their first ICC title.

This historic win has already led to increased match fees in domestic competitions by the BCCI and new endorsements for players, signaling a promising future for women's cricket, which has often been overlooked.

Off the field, significant changes occurred as well.

Former Delhi cricketer Mithun Manhas took over as BCCI president from Roger Binny, alongside several new appointments.

Various state associations also saw leadership changes, with former cricketers like Sourav Ganguly and Venkatesh Prasad returning to administrative roles.

Diplomatic Tensions Affecting Cricket

The strained diplomatic relations with Pakistan deteriorated further following the Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent military operations. This tension was felt on the cricket field as well.

Under BCCI directives, Indian players refrained from shaking hands with their Pakistani counterparts during the Asia Cup and declined to accept the winners' trophy presented by a Pakistani official, Mohsin Naqvi.

Consequently, Naqvi, who heads the Asian Cricket Council and the Pakistan Cricket Board, has secured the trophy at the ACC office in Dubai, stating he would only present it to the Indians in a media-covered event.

A Tragic Celebration

Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally clinched their first IPL trophy after 18 years in 2025, but the celebration turned tragic when 11 fans lost their lives and 56 were injured in a stampede near the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Since then, Chinnaswamy has not hosted any significant matches.

The RCB management faced considerable criticism for encouraging fans to gather in large numbers without adequate security measures for the celebrations.

This incident highlighted the urgent need for improved crowd management and better facilities for spectators at Indian venues.