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Khelo India — Ministry of Youth Affairs & SportsTarget Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) — MYAS via Mission Olympic CellSAI Sports Training Centre (STC) — Sports Authority of IndiaNational Sports Development Fund — MYASNational Coaching Development Scheme — SAIShiv Chhatrapati State Sports Award — Govt. of MaharashtraHaryana Medal Reward Policy — Govt. of HaryanaKhelo India — Ministry of Youth Affairs & SportsTarget Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) — MYAS via Mission Olympic CellSAI Sports Training Centre (STC) — Sports Authority of IndiaNational Sports Development Fund — MYASNational Coaching Development Scheme — SAIShiv Chhatrapati State Sports Award — Govt. of MaharashtraHaryana Medal Reward Policy — Govt. of Haryana
Team

Cricket

India's most-followed sport; T20 cricket returns to the Olympics at LA28. · 2,809 athlete profiles on SportSupport

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Reviewed profileAchievements, tournaments, coaches and FAQs on this page are compiled by hand from federation, government and press reporting, drawing on BCCI, ICC, Government of India — Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports. These are not cited to individual documents: we hold no per-claim source for them, so treat dates, counts and career records here as a summary rather than a reference. Sections we hold nothing for are left empty. Sport pages last reviewed as a set: September 2026.

Overview

Origin
16th century England
Category
Team
Olympic discipline
Added for LA 2028
Paralympic discipline
No
Central pathway
Olympic (TOPS eligible)
Athlete profiles on SportSupport
2,809

Governance and status

Each field below is shown only where we hold a source for it; anything else reads “Not currently verified” rather than a guess. Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports recognition is granted year by year, so it is only ever shown with the year it applies to. Last reviewed: September 2026.

Indian governing/organising body
BCCI
Ministry recognition
Not currently verified
International federation
Not currently verified
Khelo India inclusion
Not currently verified
TOPS eligibility
In scope — TOPS covers Olympic medal prospects
Olympic status
Added to the Olympic programme for Los Angeles 2028Source: Al Jazeera — IOC approves cricket, flag football, lacrosse, squash and baseball-softball for LA 2028 (2023)
Paralympic status
Not a Paralympic discipline

Cricket is listed on SportSupport in the team category. Its recorded origin is 16th century England. Cricket was added to the Olympic programme for Los Angeles 2028, approved by the IOC Session in Mumbai on 16 October 2023. Cricket returns after more than a century, having appeared once at the 1900 Olympics. (Source: Al Jazeera — IOC approves cricket, flag football, lacrosse, squash and baseball-softball for LA 2028: https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2023/10/16/ioc-la-2028-olympics-cricket-flag-football-lacrosse-squash-baseball) We list BCCI as the Indian governing/organising body for the sport.

India's most-followed sport; T20 cricket returns to the Olympics at LA28.

Cricket is on the pathway that runs through India's national sports federations to the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), with selection running through BCCI against its published benchmarks. Being on this pathway is not itself a statement that the discipline is currently in TOPS — TOPS covers a Core Group and a Development Group chosen by the Mission Olympic Cell.

Indian Achievements

Hand-reviewed Olympic, Paralympic, World, Asian and Commonwealth milestones for India in cricket, compiled from the sources listed on this page. Last reviewed: September 2026.

  • ICC Cricket World Cup winners: 1983 (Kapil Dev's XI) and 2011 (MS Dhoni's XI).
  • ICC T20 World Cup winners: 2007 (MS Dhoni) and 2024 (Rohit Sharma).
  • ICC Champions Trophy winners: 2002 (shared with Sri Lanka), 2013 (MS Dhoni) and 2025 (Rohit Sharma).
  • ICC Women's T20 Asia Cup: 8 titles; Asian Games 2022 gold in women's cricket.
  • ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup winners: 5 titles (2000, 2008, 2012, 2018, 2022).
  • Sachin Tendulkar — only player with 100 international centuries; highest run-scorer in international cricket.

Famous Indian Players

Landmark cricket names from India, past and present.

  • Sachin Tendulkar
    100 international hundreds; Bharat Ratna (2014).
  • Kapil Dev
    Captain of India's first World Cup win, 1983.
  • MS Dhoni
    Only captain to win all three ICC white-ball trophies.
  • Virat Kohli
    T20 World Cup 2024 winner; ICC ODI Player of the Decade.
  • Rohit Sharma
    Only batter with three ODI double-hundreds; T20 & Champions Trophy-winning captain.
  • Jasprit Bumrah
    ICC Test Bowler of the Year 2024; No. 1 across formats.
  • Smriti Mandhana
    ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year (2018, 2021).
  • Harmanpreet Kaur
    India women's captain; Asian Games 2022 gold.

Notable Coaches

Head coaches and mentors behind India's leading cricket results.

  • Gautam Gambhir
    Current India men's head coach (from 2024).
  • Rahul Dravid
    T20 World Cup 2024-winning head coach; NCA head.
  • Amol Muzumdar
    India women's senior team head coach.
  • V. V. S. Laxman
    Head of the Centre of Excellence (formerly NCA), Bengaluru.
  • Ravi Shastri
    Former India head coach (2017–2021); WTC finalist 2021.
All coaches directory →

Scholarships & Funding

Central, state and private scholarships available for cricket athletes in India.

  • BCCI Central Contracts

    Grade A+ / A / B / C retainer contracts for India men's and women's players, plus match fees (Test ₹15 lakh, ODI ₹6 lakh, T20I ₹3 lakh).

  • BCCI Pension Scheme

    Monthly pension for former India internationals and first-class cricketers, tiered by matches played.

  • State Association scholarships

    State cricket associations (MCA, DDCA, KSCA etc.) run age-group scholarships and stipends.

  • Khelo India Talent Identification & Development (KITID)

    Monthly stipend (₹10,000 for selected Khelo India athletes), boarding, coaching and kit at accredited centres for talent identified through the Khelo India selection process (Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports). Applies only to disciplines on the official Khelo India Games list, and only to athletes it selects.

  • Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS)

    Central government scheme covering training, foreign exposure, equipment and an out-of-pocket allowance (up to ₹50,000/month) for athletes inducted by the Mission Olympic Cell. TOPS covers a Core Group and a Development Group of disciplines rather than every Olympic sport, and induction is decided athlete by athlete; we hold no current list confirming whether cricket is among the covered disciplines.

Explore all government schemes →

Indian Players

2,809 profiles
Page 1 of 59
All cricket athlete profiles →

Rules

Two teams of 11. The batting side scores runs; the bowling side tries to dismiss batters (bowled, caught, LBW, run out, stumped) or restrict scoring. In limited-overs cricket, each side bats a fixed number of overs (typically 20 for T20, 50 for ODI); in Test cricket, sides bat in two innings each over up to five days. The side with more runs when the match ends wins.

Authoritative rulebook: BCCI. Age-group and school-level variations are published by SGFI and the state associations each season.

Playing field

Pitch (Law 6)
“a rectangular area of the ground 22 yards/20.12 m in length and 10 ft/3.05 m in width”

Source: MCC Laws of Cricket, Law 6 — The pitch

Officials

Umpires (Law 2)
“Before the match, two umpires shall be appointed, one for each end, to control the match as required by the Laws, with absolute impartiality.”

Source: MCC Laws of Cricket, Law 2 — The umpires

Match format

Players (Law 1)
Eleven players a side, one of whom is captain
Overs (Law 17)
The ball is bowled from each end alternately in overs of 6 balls

Source: MCC Laws of Cricket, Law 17 — The over

Positions

Typical roles across team sports. These are category-level descriptions, not a sourced cricket squad list.

  • Attackers / forwards
    Primary scorers who operate closest to the opposition goal or scoring zone.
  • Midfielders / all-rounders
    Link play between defence and attack; usually the highest work-rate positions.
  • Defenders
    Deny the opposition space and possession in the defensive third.
  • Goalkeeper / last line
    Specialist stopper with distinct kit and rules; the final line of defence.
  • Captain & vice-captain
    On-field leadership, decision-making and communication with match officials.

Equipment

Standard kit and infrastructure required to train and compete in cricket at a federation-recognised event.

  • Cricket bat (willow)
  • Cricket ball (leather, seamed)
  • Stumps and bails (3 stumps per end)
  • Protective pads and gloves for batters
  • Helmet

Governing/organising body

Body listed on SportSupport

Board of Control for Cricket in India is the body we list as the Indian governing/organising body for Cricket. Its recognition status as we hold it: Not listed among the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports recognition orders for 2026 (as at 2026). Recognition is granted year by year, so read the federation profile for the source.

Origin
16th century England
Olympic
Added for LA 2028
Paralympic
No
Category
Team

Major Indian Events

Domestic competitions we hold a source for in cricket.

  • Ranji Trophy

    Premier domestic first-class competition (since 1934), contested by 38 state teams.

  • Vijay Hazare Trophy

    Domestic List-A 50-over championship.

  • Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

    Domestic T20 championship — the main T20 selection pool.

  • Duleep Trophy

    Zonal first-class tournament; a selection benchmark for Test cricket.

  • Irani Cup

    Match between the Ranji champions and Rest of India.

  • Indian Premier League (IPL)

    World's richest T20 league; 10 franchises since 2022.

  • Women's Premier League (WPL)

    BCCI's franchise T20 league for women, launched 2023.

  • Senior Women's One Day / T20 Trophy

    BCCI's premier domestic women's white-ball competitions.

International Events

Continental and world-level competitions we hold a source for in cricket.

  • ICC Men's Cricket World Cup

    Quadrennial 50-over world championship.

  • ICC Men's T20 World Cup

    T20 world championship — every two years.

  • ICC Champions Trophy

    Top-8 ODI tournament revived in 2025.

  • ICC World Test Championship

    Two-year cycle culminating in a Test final at Lord's / The Oval.

  • ICC Women's Cricket World Cup

    50-over women's world championship.

  • ICC Women's T20 World Cup

    T20 world championship for women.

  • Asia Cup (Men's & Women's)

    ACC continental championship in ODI and T20 formats.

Leagues

Franchise and professional leagues catalogued for cricket. Full season data, champions and schedule filters are available in the sidebar.

  • Domestic · Since 2008
    Indian Premier League

    World's richest T20 league and India's premier sporting franchise property.

  • Domestic · Since 2023
    Women's Premier League

    BCCI's franchise T20 league that has transformed Indian women's cricket commercially and competitively.

  • Domestic · Since 1934
    Ranji Trophy

    India's premier domestic first-class competition and the historical proving ground for every Test cricketer.

  • Domestic · Since 2002
    Vijay Hazare Trophy

    India's premier domestic 50-over tournament between state and Plate Group sides.

  • Domestic · Since 2006
    Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

    BCCI's premier domestic T20 competition and a major IPL talent feeder.

  • International · Since 1975
    ICC Cricket World Cup

    Quadrennial 50-over world championship — the sport's biggest single trophy.

  • International · Since 2007
    ICC Men's T20 World Cup

    Biennial global T20 championship; India won the most recent edition in the West Indies and USA.

  • International · Since 1998
    ICC Champions Trophy

    Compact eight-team ODI tournament for the top sides in the world.

All leagues →

International Players

Globally recognised cricket athletes to know outside India.

  • Australia
    Most ICC Men's ODI World Cup titles (6): 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015, 2023.
  • West Indies
    First two ODI World Cups (1975, 1979) and back-to-back T20 World Cups (2012, 2016).
  • England
    Men's ODI World Cup 2019 and Men's T20 World Cup 2010, 2022.
  • Australia Women
    Most-decorated team in women's international cricket — 7 ODI and 6 T20 World Cups.

Career Options

Ways to build a career in cricket — on the field, on the sidelines and behind the scenes.

  • Professional cricketer — IPL/WPL, Ranji, state and India contracts
  • BCCI-certified coach (Level 1/2/3) via the National Cricket Academy
  • BCCI umpire / match referee (Level 1 → Elite Panel)
  • Sports physiotherapist, S&C coach, video analyst, nutritionist with franchises
  • Cricket broadcaster, commentator, journalist, statistician
  • Sports quota jobs (Railways, Indian Oil, Air India, ONGC) for state and Ranji players

Related academies

9 listed
  • MRF Pace FoundationElite
    Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Since 1987

    Storied pace bowling academy that has trained Indian and international quicks.

  • Coaching BeyondState
    Multiple centres, Multiple states · Since 2022

    Cricket coaching network founded by Ravi Shastri with Bharat Arun and R Sridhar.

  • BCCI National Cricket AcademyElite
    Bengaluru, Karnataka · Since 2000

    BCCI's centralised academy for India seniors, juniors, women and rehab.

  • KSCA AcademyState
    Bengaluru, Karnataka · Since 2002

    Karnataka State Cricket Association's academy, launched in November 2002, with six zonal centres.

  • West Delhi Cricket AcademyNational
    New Delhi, Delhi

    Privately run Delhi cricket academy founded by Raj Kumar Sharma; Virat Kohli is named as an alumnus.

  • Motilal Nehru School of SportsNational
    Sonipat, Haryana · Since 1973

    Haryana's residential sports school — a feeder for the state's medal factory.

  • MP State Women's Cricket Academy of ExcellenceState
    Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh · Since 2022

    Madhya Pradesh's first residential women's cricket academy, at Shivpuri.

  • Centre for Sports ExcellenceElite
    Bengaluru, Karnataka

    Bengaluru multi-sport high-performance centre across 24 acres, formerly the Padukone–Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence.

  • Major Dhyan Chand Sports College, Saifai, EtawahState
    Etawah, Uttar Pradesh · Since 2014

    Uttar Pradesh's residential sports college at Saifai, Etawah, established 2014-15, running eight disciplines for classes 6 to 10.

Government Schemes

6 listed

Central and state schemes that fund training, stipends and awards for cricket athletes and academies.

All government schemes →

FAQs

Common questions about cricket in India.

Who governs Cricket in India?▾

We list BCCI as the Indian governing/organising body for Cricket, and state associations affiliated to it run age-group and state-level competition. We hold no current-year Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports recognition record for it, so this is not a statement that it is currently a recognised national sports federation — recognition is granted year by year.

Is Cricket an Olympic sport?▾

Not yet. Cricket was added to the Olympic programme for Los Angeles 2028, approved by the IOC Session in Mumbai on 16 October 2023. Cricket returns after more than a century, having appeared once at the 1900 Olympics. (Source: Al Jazeera — https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2023/10/16/ioc-la-2028-olympics-cricket-flag-football-lacrosse-squash-baseball)

How do I start playing Cricket in India?▾

The usual routes are a school team under the School Games Federation of India (SGFI), a college team under the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), or a private academy affiliated to your state association under BCCI. Age-group state championships follow from there.

What government schemes support Cricket athletes?▾

TOPS supports a Core Group and a Development Group of disciplines selected by the Mission Olympic Cell, rather than every Olympic sport. We hold no current list confirming whether Cricket is among them, so we make no TOPS claim for it. State governments give cash awards to medallists at events they notify. Cricket does not appear on the official Khelo India Games discipline list, so we make no Khelo India claim for it.

How do I represent India in cricket?▾

Play age-group cricket for your state → Ranji Trophy / Vijay Hazare → India A → India selection through the BCCI selection committee.

Cricket in every state & UT

Dedicated pages for Cricket in each Indian state and Union Territory — academies, schemes, athletes and how to start.