Between 1995 and 2015, this derisive term was widely used to describe South African cricket teams that consistently failed to win trophies. Having won the 2013 Champions Trophy, the Indian cricket team has flopped badly in all major multi-nation International Cricket Council (ICC) tournaments since then.

A team without any big stars won the inaugural T20 World Cup in MS Dhoni’s maiden assignment as captain two years earlier.

Dhoni’s hat-trick made him a cult figure and highlighted the depth and wealth of Indian cricket talent.

With the Indian Premier League growing exponentially in popularity and profitability since 2008 and players emerging from everywhere in the country, India’s march upwards in the global order of cricket looked unstoppable. As well as bringing in almost 70% of the world’s “eyeballs”, which translates into roughly 70% of global revenue, India has also consistently topped the ICC rankings across formats for long periods.

Ahead of the 2023 World Cup, India will again be among the top teams in Tests, one-day internationals, and T20s.