History of Indian Cricket — After Kapil Dev

Historical overview

How Indian cricket emerged after Kapil Dev (post-1983)

Kapil Dev's 1983 World Cup victory was a turning point — it moved cricket in India from a niche sport to a national passion. In the years that followed, India invested more in coaching, ran more domestic tournaments, and saw improved fitness and professionalism. The late 1980s and 1990s produced players who combined flair with technical skill and helped India become competitive across formats.

Key structural changes included stronger domestic competitions (Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy), wider scouting networks, and gradually more exposure to overseas conditions. By the 1990s and 2000s India began exporting world-class specialists: batsmen with classical technique, crafty spinners, and fast bowlers capable of succeeding abroad.

Top players who defined the era

Below are players who had major impact in the period after Kapil Dev — from late 1980s through the 2000s. This list mixes batsmen, bowlers and all-rounders who helped define modern Indian cricket.

Sachin TendulkarThe 'Master Blaster' — earliest debutant who became the backbone of India's batting across formats for decades.
Rahul DravidA resolute Test specialist known for technique and dependability — often called 'The Wall'.
Sourav GangulyAggressive left-hander and a captain who rebuilt Indian cricket's overseas competitiveness in the early 2000s.
VVS LaxmanKnown for match-winning second-innings performances and elegant strokeplay.
MS DhoniTransformational captain with calm leadership — won major ICC trophies and popularised modern finishing in limited overs.
Anil KumbleIndia's premier leg-spinner of his generation and relentless competitor on all surfaces.
Virender SehwagExplosive opener who redefined how India attacked fast bowling in Tests and ODIs.
Zaheer KhanPioneering Indian left-arm seamer who led the pace attack in important overseas series and ICC events.

Players who scored the most centuries (highlights)

A few headline-makers in century-scoring. If you'd like exact, up-to-date counts (and a sortable top-10 table), I can fetch current stats and add them.

Player	Why notable
Sachin Tendulkar	Holds the record for the most international centuries and is widely regarded as India's greatest batsman.
Sunil Gavaskar	One of India's first great openers; piled up Test centuries in the 1970s and early 1980s.
Rahul Dravid	Consistent run-maker across formats; amassed many important hundreds for India in Tests and ODIs.
Virat Kohli	Modern-era run machine with prolific century-scoring in all formats.
Sourav Ganguly / VVS Laxman	Both produced memorable centuries that changed games — Ganguly in ODIs and Laxman in Tests.

Best captains of India (influence & achievements)

Captaining India is as much about leadership and culture as match results. Here are captains whose tenures left lasting impact:

Kapil DevLed India to its first World Cup in 1983 — a watershed moment for Indian cricket.
Sourav GangulyCredited with rebuilding India's overseas confidence and backing young talent in the late 1990s/early 2000s.
MS DhoniWon the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 ODI World Cup (as captain) and the 2013 Champions Trophy — a hugely successful modern era captain.
Virat KohliLed India to an aggressive, fitness-first culture; notable for Test success on home and important overseas wins.
Rahul DravidStabilising leader who emphasised technique and patience, especially in Test cricket and rebuilding phases.

Want deeper stats or a timeline?

I kept the page intentionally factual and readable. If you want:

— an updated top-10 century scorers table (with exact numbers),
— an interactive timeline of milestones (1983 World Cup, Tendulkar debut, Ganguly captaincy, 2007/2011/2013 ICC wins, etc.), or
— a printable PDF version of this page,

Tell me which and I'll add it directly into the page.