The Indian cricket team head into the eighth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy as the defending champions. In 2013, they were the only team that stayed unbeaten during the group stages and went on to beat the hosts, England in the final to lift the cup. Four years after that memorable run, a similar-looking squad returns to England, seeking their second consecutive trophy. Let’s dive into the past and go through India’s performances in the Champions Trophy, previously called the ICC Knockouts.

Right from the start, India have been consistent performers in the ICC Knockouts and later in the Champions Trophy. Team India has the highest win percentage among all the teams that have featured in the tournament. Having shared one trophy and won one, they have a win percentage of 71.42. The next best is a few digits behind – Australia at 63.15. India’s journey in the tournament began in 1998, in Dhaka.

India’s first match of the ICC Knockouts belonged to our Master Blaster, Sachin Tendulkar. He scored a memorable century, blasting 141 runs off 128 balls to take India beyond 300. In the second innings, the Aussies were bowled out for 263 and the maestro wove his magic with the ball, claiming four wickets and knocking Australia out of the tournament. In the semi-final, India faced West Indies and lost by 6 wickets. Tendulkar did a good job with the ball once again, picking up 2 wickets and conceding just 29 in his 10 overs.

The second edition of the ICC Knockouts belonged to Sourav Ganguly who was also the captain of the side. He was the leading run-scorer in the tournament with 348 runs. Till date, he has the joint most number of centuries in the tournament – 3. Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan had made their ODI debuts in this edition and were impressive as well. While the former was the top-scorer against Australia, the latter ended up as the joint second-highest wicket-taker in the series. India went on to play the Kiwis in the final after comprehensively beating the Proteas in the semi-final on the backing of Ganguly’s century. However, in the final, the captain’s second consecutive ton went in vain as Chris Cairns’ heist took New Zealand to the title.

The pool stage was introduced in 2002 and India won both the games to make it to the semi-final with some strong performances with the bat. In what was a close contest with South Africa, Team India edged through to the final, winning by 10 runs. The final, against hosts, Sri Lanka was played twice. India restricted Sri Lanka under 250 on both the occasions; on the main day and the reserve day, but rain poured down after the Indians came into bat on both the days to end play. In the end, the trophy was shared by the two teams.

After beating Kenya in their opening game of the fourth edition, in England, India lost to Pakistan after a rather unsatisfying performance with the bat. For the first time in the history of the Champions Trophy, India failed to make it to the semi-final of the tournament.

India were hosting the 2006 edition of the Champions Trophy and began their campaign with a comprehensive victory over England. However, fortunes overturned as the team went on to lose a close game against West Indies and couldn’t defend 249 against an in-form Australia. Once again, India faltered in the group stage.

In 2009, the Champions Trophy returned to England and we played Pakistan in our opening clash. Things didn’t go India’s way and they lost by 54 runs. In their second game against Australia, rain had the final say and the match bore no result. India won the final group game against West Indies, but Pakistan sneaked into the semi-final with a better net run-rate, and India had to bow out.

The next Champions Trophy took four years to come enter the cricketing calendar. There was a vast difference between the side India had in 2009 and the one they took to England in 2013. There were a host of younger players. Shikhar Dhawan blossomed in the early part of the tournament as he went on to score back-to-back centuries in India’s first two games. India romped home In their three group games, beating South Africa, West Indies and Pakistan. A dominating performance with both ball and bat, in the semi-final against Sri Lanka catapulted India into the final. The showdown in the final was cut short by the rain. It turned into a 20-over-a-side contest and India managed to put up 129. The bowlers got together and won the game for India, by 5 runs to lift the Champions Trophy, for the second time, but the first time exclusively.

Many of the players who lifted the trophy in 2013 are integral members of the squad in 2017. They have experience of playing in England and will look to bring all of it to the table when they play their first game against rivals, Pakistan. India’s record against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy is 1-2, in three games. The match takes place in Birmingham, where they have locked horns twice in the past in the tournament and won one game apiece. Many of the players have been in good form in the Indian Premier League and will look to carry the form into the ICC Champions Trophy.