Indian Cricket History and Trivia

Harsha Bhogle, a renowned Indian cricket commentator and journalist, wrote the biography 'Azhar' about Mohammad Azharuddin. Bhogle is well-known for his cricket writing and commentary. The correct answer is B (Harsha Bhogle). Options A (Azharuddin himself), C (Harbhajan Singh - a cricketer), and D (Azhar's mother) are incorrect.

India played its first One Day International (ODI) match on June 5, 1974, against England at Headingley, Leeds. India lost this inaugural match by 4 wickets. The correct answer is D (1974). Options A (1970), B (1971), and C (1972) are incorrect as they predate India's ODI debut.

Yuvraj Singh scored his first ODI century against Bangladesh in 2000 at Dhaka. This was a significant milestone in his cricket career. The correct answer is A (Bangladesh). Options B (Sri Lanka), C (Australia), and D (New Zealand) are incorrect for his first century.

The 1996 World Cup semi-final between India and Sri Lanka was played at Eden Gardens, Calcutta (now Kolkata). This match was famously abandoned due to crowd trouble after India's collapse. The correct answer is B (Calcutta). Options A (Mumbai), C (Chennai), and D (Hyderabad) are incorrect venues.

New Zealand won the 2000 ICC Knock Out Trophy (now Champions Trophy) final, defeating India by 4 wickets in Nairobi. This was New Zealand's first major ICC tournament victory. The correct answer is B (New Zealand). Options A (India - the runner-up), C (Pakistan), and D (Australia) are incorrect.

In 1996, Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath put together a famous 52-run partnership for the 10th wicket in Bangalore against Australia. This partnership helped India avoid follow-on in a Test match. The correct answer is D (1996). Options A (1994), B (1990), and C (1992) are incorrect years.

Sachin Tendulkar made his ODI debut against Pakistan on December 18, 1989, at Gujranwala. He scored 0 runs in that match but went on to become one of the greatest ODI batsmen in cricket history.

India played its first-ever T20 International match on December 1, 2006, against South Africa at Johannesburg. This match marked the beginning of India's journey in the shortest format of international cricket.

Sourav Ganguly won four consecutive Man of the Match awards in ODIs during 1997-98. This remarkable achievement included matches against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand, showcasing his dominant form during that period.

Abid Ali and Eknath Solkar opened the bowling in India's first ODI against England at Leeds on July 13, 1974. This was India's inaugural venture into one-day international cricket.

Mohammad Azharuddin captained India in 174 ODIs, making him one of the most experienced Indian captains in one-day cricket history. His leadership spanned from 1990 to 1999.

Sunil Gavaskar was appointed as interim coach of the Indian team for the Sharjah tournament in 1994. He stepped in during a transitional phase when the team was undergoing leadership changes.

Ajit Wadekar was India's first ODI captain, leading the team in their inaugural ODI against England at Leeds in 1974. He was already the Test captain and took charge in the new format as well.

India played its first home ODI in 1981 at Ahmedabad against England. This was during England's tour of India, marking an important milestone in India's ODI history at home soil.

Imran Khan's first ODI wicket was claimed by Kapil Dev. This happened during the early days of ODI cricket when these two great all-rounders from rival nations faced each other.

Ajit Agarkar broke Dennis Lillee's world record for the fastest 50 wickets in ODIs, achieving this milestone in just 23 matches. This record showcased Agarkar's exceptional bowling ability early in his career.

Sachin Tendulkar bowled the legendary last over of the 1993 Hero Cup semi-final against South Africa, conceding just 3 runs and taking a wicket. This is considered one of the greatest bowling performances in ODI history.

Kapil Dev played his final One Day International match against Sri Lanka in 1994 during the Singer World Series at Colombo. This marked the end of his illustrious ODI career spanning 16 years.

India won the Titan Cup in 1996, defeating Australia in the final. The tournament featured India, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand, with India emerging victorious under captain Sachin Tendulkar.

Nayan Mongia was India's most successful wicket keeper in One Day cricket during his active years (1990s). While Rahul Dravid donned the gloves occasionally, Mongia was the designated wicket keeper with superior dismissals per match ratio among specialist keepers of his era.

India has been involved in three tied One Day International matches - two against Zimbabwe (1999 and 2010) and one against West Indies (2011). The question uses 'Both 1 and 2' to indicate Zimbabwe and West Indies.

Chetan Sharma took the first hat-trick by an Indian in ODIs against New Zealand in the 1987 World Cup. Kapil Dev also registered a hat-trick against Australia in the 1991-92 Benson & Hedges World Series Championship. Both Indian bowlers achieved this rare feat.

Sunil Gavaskar scored his first One Day International century against New Zealand in the 1981-82 series. He scored 116 runs at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai, marking his entry into the ODI century club.

Kapil Dev's final One Day International victim was Zahid Fazal of Pakistan during the 1994 Wills World Series at Sharjah. The question's options are all incorrect, making 'None of the above' the right answer.

Virat Kohli was the captain of the Indian Under-19 team that won the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in 2008, held in Malaysia. This victory launched Kohli's international career.