As the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 has begun with India being the host, a lot of expectations rely on the Men in Blue who are looking to win their second title. The side, under MS Dhoni’s leadership, had won the inaugural edition in 2007 in South Africa.
The young Indian side had defeated many strong teams and reached the semi-finals. They beat the invincible Australian side in the semi-final and set up a fiery final against arch-rivals Pakistan. They eventually went on to win the thrilling finale.
The tournament in 2007 had given fans many great memories, be it, Yuvraj Singh’s 6 sixes, S Sreesanth knocking over Mathew Hayden, or Joginder Sharma getting Misbah-ul-Haq out in the final.
Now with Team India looking to win their second ICC trophy under Virat Kohli, a look at where the heroes of the 2007 edition are.
MS Dhoni: The man termed as ‘Captain Cool’ had never led any side at that time and this move had raised many questions. However, Dhoni proved everyone wrong and not just won the 2007 ICC trophy in T20I but also won several other series. Currently, after completing his duties as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper and winning the IPL 2021 title, he has been roped in by BCCI as a mentor of the Indian side for T20 WC 2021.
Yuvraj Singh: One of the main reasons for winning the trophy was this flamboyant batsman. apart from the 6 sixes off Stuart Broad, Yuvraj Singh was the man who scored for the team when it was most required. The all-rounder had faced many challenges including cancer but overcame all. He made a comeback into the Indian team in 2013, but could not find a proper spot again. The left-hander played in the IPL for few years and eventually retired in 2019 and now follows cricket closely.
Virender Sehwag: One of India’s most successful openers, the batter’s career was quite dodgy in 2007. He was in fact dropped from the Test and ODI squads, but owing to his swashbuckling nature, he was named in this squad. Sehwag played well in the tournament and even made a comeback in the other teams and was also part of the 2011 World Cup-winning team. Currently, Sehwag is a prominent Hindi commentator and is quite active on social media. He had also taken up coaching in the IPL where he coached the Kings XI Punjab (now PBKS).
Gautam Gambhir: The batter was also instrumental in helping India win the title in 2007. Gambhir’s most important innings was in the final where he played a gutsy knock of 75* to take India to a decent total. He was dropped following an average show but continued playing in the IPL as the captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and led the franchise to two IPL titles. After officially announcing his retirement from all forms of cricket in 2018, he is a TV commentator now. He is known for strong views which also draw criticism from fans on many occasions. He is also a politician and current member of the Lok Sabha since 2019.
Robin Uthappa: This middle-order batter played in an aggressive or steady manner, but after the 2007 World T20, Uthappa had an inconsistent run with the bat. He was dropped soon after, but IPL came and Uthappa played consistently for the KKR. His performance in 2014 helped him earn a place back in the Indian side but with young players constantly emerging, he could not keep up with it. Uthappa currently plays domestic cricket and in the IPL 2021, he is a part of the Chennai Super Kings, which won the title.
Rohit Sharma: The ‘Hitman’ had earned a place in the Indian T20 squad after wonderful performances for the Mumbai domestic. However, considering his inexperience in international cricket, he was not included in the XI in all the games. In the final against Pakistan, when India struggled, Rohit came to bat lower in the order and played a quickfire knock of 30 runs in just 16 balls. He has continued his splendid form and things changed after he started opening the innings. He is currently an integral part of the Indian side in all the 3 formats.
Dinesh Karthik: Part of the squad as the second keeper after MS Dhoni, Karthik could not make a major mark. He was dropped and taken back many times, but could not seal his spot. However, Karthik continued playing domestic and IPL cricket consistently. Most were picked by the KKR in 2018 and was also named as the team’s captain. He gave up the captaincy midway and handed it to Eoin Morgan, and the side had reached the Final of the IPL 2021. Karthik has not yet retired but has entered into the commentary space.
Irfan Pathan: He was an integral part of this team but his career did not last very long due to untimely injuries. Pathan did well throughout the journey, but his performance in the final was sensational as he took 3 wickets and gave away only 16 runs in his quota of 4 overs. He also took the all-important wicket of Shahid Afridi. Pathan was dropped in 2008 and did make a comeback in 2011, but he was out of the reckoning again in a few months. He is now a TV commentator and is liked by many for his insightful observations in Hindi. He has even scouted many talented youngsters from Jammu and Kashmir who have performed well in the IPL.
Yusuf Pathan: While the elder Pathan brother was included in the squad for his ferocious hitting ability, he was included in the side only in the final – which was also his international debut. He was sent in as an opener and he started well with a few hits but got out soon too. After the World T20 win, Pathan was a regular feature in India’s limited-overs sides for over five years. He was also a member of the 2011 World Cup win. However, soon after that win, inconsistent performances pushed him out. Pathan continued playing IPL for teams like KKR and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Currently, with his IPL career also over, he enjoys his second innings in his hometown Baroda.
Ajit Agarkar: While he was one of India’s most successful bowlers in limited-overs cricket, Ajit Agarkar, did not play many of the matches in the T20 World Cup 2007 picking a lone wicket. He was then dropped and participated in the IPL and continued playing domestic cricket for Mumbai. In 2013, with no hope of a national comeback, Agarkar announced his retirement. He also served as a selector for Mumbai Cricket for a short tenure. Currently, he is a commentator and speaks fluently in both Hindi and English and sometimes also appears as an analyst on online platforms.
Piyush Chawla: He was one of the best-emerging spinners back in 2007 as at the age of 18, he played the World T20 in 2007. He, however, did not get any games but his fortunes then improved in the coming years. He got a few chances in the coming years, but was replaced by other spinners and was soon dropped. However, he was performing really well in the IPL and was Kings XI Punjab’s main spinner early on. He even made a comeback in 2010 and also made it to the 2011 World Cup-winning squad. However, after that, he played a few games, including the 2012 World T20 but was side-lined thereafter. In the IPL he moved to the KKR and became an important asset for them. Currently, he continues playing the IPL and is part of the Mumbai Indians (MI) camp.
Joginder Sharma: Who can forget this bowler, especially for his heroics in the final of the 2007 World T20. Joginder’s name was written in golden letters. However, this was his last international game. The man was not very impressive in the World T20 2007 as a whole and due to that, de was dropped from the team soon after. He was picked by the CSK in the IPL and played the league for 3 editions, but was not able to make a comeback to the national side. He was later offered a position by the Haryana Police and over the years, he has risen through the ranks. Currently, he is at the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police.
Harbhajan Singh: The spinner was one of the few senior players in the World T20 2007 squad. He was also one of the best performers for the Indian team and brought crucial breakthroughs whenever it was needed. He was India’s prime spinner for quite some time and even won the 2011 World Cup. However, after that, he was away from the squad due to a lack of form. He made a comeback in 2015-16, but it was short-lived. The bowler then went on to become a TV commentator and analyst. He still plays in the IPL and is currently a part of the KKR. Harbhajan also entered the entertainment industry for a short time and featured in a few reality shows and a movie.
RP Singh: This man was one of the most lethal bowlers during his time as he could swing the ball big time, which created trouble for the batsmen. He was the joint second-highest wicket-taker of the tournament. However, in 2009, he was dropped from the national side owing to inconsistent performances. He made a comeback in 2011, but could not seal his spot. He continued playing in domestic cricket for Uttar Pradesh and later for Gujarat. In IPL, he had won the Purple Cap in the 2009 season. Nowadays, he has turned into a Hindi TV commentator and also played in the Abu Dhabi T10 league.
S Sreesanth: One of the best fast-bowlers during his peak, Sreesanth was an integral part of the 2007 Word T20 team. His catch of Misbah-ul-Haq created history as India won the inaugural World T20 champions. In fact, in the semi-final, he knocked over Australia’s two premier batsmen, Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden. He also won the 2011 World Cup. However, after that, he was side-lined. He played in the IPL, but his last professional game came in May 2013 after which he was banned for his involvement in a match-fixing scandal. Sreesanth had requested BCCI to end his ban several times, and it came to an end last year. He then played for Kerala in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with the aim of making a comeback, but it did not help as he was not drafted for the IPL auction. During his ban, Sreesanth entered the entertainment industry and acted in several films in the South industry and also featured in ‘Bigg Boss’ Hindi.
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