Cricket History and Facts

MS Dhoni scored 183* against Sri Lanka in 2005, which remains the highest score by a wicket-keeper in ODI history. Quinton de Kock and others have come close, but Dhoni still holds the record.

Sourav Ganguly scored 183 runs against Sri Lanka in the 1999 World Cup at Taunton, England. This remains his highest individual ODI score and featured 17 fours and 7 sixes. It was one of the most memorable innings of his career and helped India post a massive total.

At the time this question was created (pre-2011), Sachin Tendulkar held the record for the highest individual ODI score (200*). This record has since been broken by others like Rohit Sharma (264).

India won 7 matches in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup on their way to lifting the trophy: group stage wins against Bangladesh (2/28), Ireland (5/31), Netherlands (5/28), and West Indies (5/29), plus knockout victories against Australia (quarterfinal), Pakistan (semifinal), and Sri Lanka (final). Their only loss was to South Africa in the group stage.

Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for the highest number of runs in Test cricket, with 15,921 runs. He surpassed Brian Lara and Sunil Gavaskar, who were previous record holders.

Mohammad Azharuddin's highest Test score was 199, scored against Sri Lanka in Kanpur in 1986. This was his debut series and he scored centuries in his first three Tests. Options A (198), B (215), and C (156) are not his personal highest.

Ajit Wadekar led the Indian team in their first-ever ODI match against England at Headingley in 1974. Bishen Singh Bedi and Nawab Pataudi were legendary Test captains, but Wadekar held the captaincy during the transition to the limited-overs format.

C.K. Nayudu was the first captain of the Indian national cricket team for their debut Test match against England at Lord's in 1932. While Lala Amarnath was the first captain of independent India, Nayudu holds the historical title of the very first Test captain.

Ajit Agarkar held the record for the fastest ODI fifty by an Indian for over a decade, reaching the milestone in just 21 balls against Zimbabwe in 2000. This record remained unbroken through 2011, despite the presence of power hitters like Yuvraj Singh and Kapil Dev.

In 2002, Wisden named Kapil Dev as the 'Indian Cricketer of the Century.' He was chosen ahead of legends like Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar due to his all-round impact and for leading India to the 1983 World Cup title.

Mohinder Amarnath was named Man of the Match in the 1983 World Cup final against the West Indies. He scored a crucial 26 runs and took 3 wickets for 12 runs, playing a pivotal role in India's historic victory. Kapil Dev was the captain, but Amarnath won the individual award.

VVS Laxman hit 44 boundaries during his legendary innings of 281 against Australia at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, in 2001. This set a record for the most fours by an Indian in a single Test innings, surpassing previous marks held by players like Sehwag and Tendulkar.

Sachin Tendulkar made his ODI debut against Pakistan in 1989. He was dismissed for 0 in that match, which is a well-documented fact in cricket history. Despite this modest start, he went on to become one of cricket's greatest batsmen.