Back in March 1985, India had a fleeting affair with perfection in one-day cricket. Skippered by Sunil Gavaskar, Men in Blue waltzed past every rival in the World Championship of Cricket, a specially organised meet of seven nations in Australia. An indelible image of that triumph was Ravi Shastri driving around the ground in an Audi, his reward for being the ‘Champion of Champions’, his teammates sitting on the bonnet.
In times when even the smallest car was beyond most middle-class budgets and dreams, that smooth-as-silk ride not only typified India’s superlative show on the pitch but became a larger emblem of upward social mobility for millions. Both before and after that iconic moment 40 years ago, India has delivered a bunch of major cricketing triumphs, including three World Cups. But that flawless performance remained a benchmark of excellence for decades.
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