Is June 20 the luckiest date for Indian Test Cricket? History and numbers suggest so!

June is lucky for Indian cricket. But is there one luckiest date of them all? Those from the bygone years might argue that June 25 is the luckiest date – why? India lifted its first ICC title – an ODI World Cup on that date in 1983, beating the defending champions West Indies in a famous Lord's final. Fast forward almost 40 years, the Men in Blue won its second T20 World Cup title on June 29, 2024, in the Americas. But is there a date that holds more significance to Indian Test cricket, specifically? History and numbers suggest that it’s June 20.

June 20 and Indian Test cricket have plenty to do with each other. Has India won anything major on this day? Perhaps not! Then what makes it special than other dates on the calendar?

Of all the greatest Test cricketers the country has produced over the years, the three most significant ones made their respective Test debuts on June 20. Those three players were Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Virat Kohli.

Known for shaping Indian cricket their way, each contributed massively both on and off the field. Besides being among the country’s biggest match winners, all three were fabulous captains and led India to scale massive heights at home and abroad, creating history almost everywhere.

While Ganguly and Dravid were introduced to the Test scene on this day in 1996 during India’s Test against England at the Lord’s, Virat emerged on the Test side on June 20, 2011, debuting alongside opener Abhinav Mukund and seamer Praveen Kumar, against the West Indies.

From 1996 till eternity

Picked to play alongside the superstar Sachin Tendulkar, with whom this pair etched their name in history books countless times later on, Ganguly and Dravid enjoyed their maiden outings on English soil as Indian batters. While history remains kinder to Ganguly, who scored a hundred on debut, hitting a brilliant 131 batting at number three, it somewhere forgot to honour Dravid that much, who missed the same feat by just five runs in his debut outing, as he got out on 95 in the same innings.

Years later, they finished their Test careers as one of the best in the game. While both played over 100 Tests for India, Dravid led the race for most runs scored between them; Ganguly, however, did more as a Test captain and was famous for saving Indian cricket following match-fixing scandals in the early 2000s.

Meanwhile, Kohli’s emergence on the Test scene in 2011 changed Indian Cricket forever. Let alone being applauded for his run-scoring spree throughout his career, Kohli’s run as India’s Test captain has the world talking about it to date. Of his massive achievements as both batter and skipper, Kohli leading India to a Test series win Down Under (against Australia) made him the best-ever.

However, all three are now retired, with Kohli being the latest to hang up his Test boots.

Besides, another name is added to the list. On June 20, 2025, Tamil Nadu batter Sai Sudharsan made his Test debut ahead of day one of the first Test against England at Headingley in Leeds.