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WTC Final: Recalling India’s fate in ICC events in England. Photo | Twitter/AP 
Key Highlights
- India will play New Zealand in the ICC World Test Championship final in mid-June
- India will eye their first-ever ICC title since the 2013 Champions Trophy win
- Their 2013 triumph came in England, the same country which will host the WTC final
Virat Kohli-led India is set to embark upon their gruelling tour of the United Kingdom, where they will play the forthcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final and five Tests against England, from August-September.
Before the five Test-assignment versus Joe Root & Co., India will face a litmus test against the second-ranked Kane Williamson-led New Zealand, who stand in their way of attaining their first-ever ICC title, since the 2013 Champions Trophy, during the WTC final. While India have been a dominant force across formats and improved significantly in ICC tournaments since the 2000s, they haven’t won a coveted trophy for eight-long years.
What makes the No. 1 ranked Indian team’s fans more confident of their chances to finally break their ICC-title drought in this upcoming English summer is the fact that Men in Blue’s last major success came in England and Wales only, which will also host the WTC summit clash.
Ahead of the WTC final, which will be held at The Rose Bowl, Southampton on June 18, here’s recalling India’s fate in ICC events in England:
| India in ICC events in England | Final Standings/Results |
| 1975 World Cup | First-round exit |
| 1979 World Cup | First-round exit |
| 1983 World Cup | Champions |
| 1999 World Cup | Super Eight stage exit |
| 2004 Champions Trophy | Group Stage Exit |
| 2009 T20 World Cup | Super Eight stage exit |
| 2013 Champions Trophy | Champions |
| 2017 Champions Trophy | Runners-up |
| 2019 ODI World Cup | Semi-finalists |
Back in 1975 and 1979, India were labelled as minnows and did nothing significant when England hosted the first two ODI World Cups. However, Kapil Dev & Co. stunned one and all when they won the trophy in 1983 at Lord’s. Since then, India have enjoyed some good success in the United Kingdom but have also fallen like nine pins on other occasions.
For instance, they remained below-par when England hosted the ODI World Cup in 1999, T20 World Cup in 2009 and also the 2004 Champions Trophy. However, they were unbeaten throughout their title run in the 2013 Champions Trophy. In the last two ICC events hosted in England, Kohli & Co. played well but missed out on winning the major title during the last few hurdles.
Will Kohli’s bunch emerge on top in their third attempt for an ICC title, in England, since 2017? If Kohli attains the inaugural WTC trophy, he will become only the third Indian captain — after Kapil and Dhoni — to achieve the rare feat of leading his side to a marquee title in England conditions.
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