Half a century, that is how long it took India to win a Test match at Oval, again. In this time, the country and the world had many historic moments. Many even related to cricket. But victory at the historic cricket ground in England remained elusive. Here, we look at some of the landmark events that have happened during that win and this.
1. India won the World Cup. Twice.
2. Bangladesh was just a few months old at the time. Now it’s 50.
3. Invention of the internet, which would go on to change the world as we know it.
4. India conducted its first nuclear test in Pokhran, designed its first space satellite.
5. India sent its first astronaut, Rakesh Sharma, into space.
6. Abhinav Bindra became the first Indian to win individual gold at the Olympics.
7. India was officially declared a polio-free nation.
8. Homosexuality was decriminalised in a landmark judgment by the Indian Supreme Court.
9. First mobile phone was invented, completely changing the way humans communicated.
10. Cricket got a brand new format, its shortest and most famous – something that was unimaginable in the 70s.
And lastly, now Indian bowlers are the match winners, a reputation they have maintained for years at this point. A very welcome shift.