In a landmark, India will be playing their 75th match in the Champions Trophy today.
When India will take on Argentina today evening in Bhubaneswar, it will be its platinum match in the annals of Champions Trophy.
India missed out the first Champions Trophy against the backdrop of not among the medals in Olympics and World Cup in the late 70s.
It took part for the first time in 1980 in the run up to the Moscow Olympics in which the legends like Ajit Pal Singh and Ashok Kumar made a grand comeback to the national side.
In the first phase of CT, India played truant with participation for the fear of losing out in the medals. Subsequently, qualification to CT had become an issue in sync with its dwindling of its fortune.
In the 90s, and later, India failed to qualify as its position was way behind qualifying mark of 6th position in the preceding Olympics and World Cup.
It had a big break of six years after 1996. It could re-enter only after Champions Challenge was put on place in 2001 which it won and then played the 2002 number.
India’s participation record
1980, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1995, 1996, 2002-2005, 2012.