India Cricket Team in the 1975 Cricket World Cup
India played in the first-ever Cricket World Cup in England in 1975. Led by Srinivas Venkataraghavan, India won one match — against East Africa — and lost to England and New Zealand. The tournament is mostly remembered in India for Sunil Gavaskar's infamous 36 not out off 174 balls against England.
Campaign Results
| Match | Result |
|---|---|
| vs England, Lord's | Lost by 202 runs |
| vs East Africa, Leeds | Won by 10 wickets |
| vs New Zealand, Manchester | Lost by 4 wickets |
The Gavaskar Innings
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Batsman | Sunil Gavaskar |
| Score | 36 not out |
| Balls | 174 |
| Match | vs England, Lord's |
Chasing 335, Gavaskar batted through the 60 overs for 36 not out off 174 balls — one of the strangest innings in ODI history. India finished on 132 for 3, losing by 202 runs. Gavaskar later said he was out of form and the pitch was difficult, but the innings remains infamous.
The Squad
| Player | Note |
|---|---|
| Srinivas Venkataraghavan (c) | Captain |
| Sunil Gavaskar | Opener |
| Farokh Engineer (wk) | Wicketkeeper |
| Gundappa Viswanath | Batsman |
| Brijesh Patel | Batsman |
| Eknath Solkar | All-rounder |
The East Africa Win
India's only win came against East Africa at Leeds, winning by 10 wickets. It was a comfortable victory but the gulf to the top teams was clear.
Historical Significance
The 1975 World Cup showed India how far behind they were in one-day cricket. Eight years later, many of the lessons learned would contribute to the stunning 1983 triumph.
Who captained India in the 1975 World Cup?
Srinivas Venkataraghavan captained India in the first Cricket World Cup in 1975.
What is Sunil Gavaskar's famous 1975 World Cup innings?
Gavaskar scored 36 not out off 174 balls against England at Lord's, batting through the innings in a 202-run defeat.
Rivcky John
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