Winning a trophy or medal is the ultimate goal for every athlete. The honour of winning a trophy is what completes a player’s career, and Indian cricketers are no exception. The three most prestigious tournaments for Indian cricketers are the 50-over Cricket World Cup, the T20 World Cup, and the IPL. Let’s take a look at the Indian cricketers who have been fortunate enough to win all three of these trophies.
1. Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Undoubtedly, the first name on the list is Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Not only did he win the tournaments, but he also captained the team in each one. Dhoni first won the T20 World Cup in 2007 with an inexperienced Indian team (India National Cricket Team). This was Dhoni’s first World Cup as captain. Later, in 2010, he led Chennai Super Kings to the IPL title in its third edition. As a captain, MSD won the IPL trophy five times—in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023 wearing the yellow jersey. Additionally, he won the 50-over World Cup in 2011, ending India’s three-decade wait. He played a match-winning innings in the final at Wankhede, Mumbai, leading the team to victory. Notably this Indian legend also won the ICC Champions Trophy.
2. Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh has been a key performer in almost all of India’s (India National Cricket Team) successes. He has excelled equally in both limited-overs and red-ball cricket. Harbhajan was India’s main spinner in the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 World Cup. Although he may not be the highest wicket-taker for India in terms of statistics, this Punjab boy has a remarkable record of picking up crucial wickets at key moments. ‘Bhajji’ has won the IPL title with both Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings and also won the Champions League T20 once.
3. Yuvraj Singh
What can be said about the best player of the 2011 World Cup tournament? This left-handed batsman was equally effective with both bat and ball. Add to that his excellent fielding skills, and Yuvraj Singh was a complete cricketer. He won the ICC World Cup in 2011 and the ICC T20 World Cup in 2007. He had a special ability to change the complexion of a match in an instant. Despite not being able to perform consistently in the IPL, he managed to win the trophy once. After several attempts, this legend from Punjab finally won the IPL title with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016, contributing some solid innings during that season.
4. Gautam Gambhir
Though he may not be in the limelight like other Indian cricketers, Gautam Gambhir has always done his duty. He played great innings in both World Cup finals that India won in 2007 and 2011. The Delhi-born cricketer won the IPL trophy in 2012 and 2014 as captain of Kolkata Knight Riders. Currently, he is associated as the head coach of the Indian cricket team.
5. Piyush Chawla
Many people may be surprised to see this name on the list. Even though he did not play every match, Piyush Chawla was a member of the World Cup-winning Indian team (India National Cricket Team) in 2007 and 2011. He was a shining star in the IPL and an important member of the two-time IPL-winning Kolkata Knight Riders team. He even scored the winning run in the final of one season. However, it is true that he did not play a significant role in any of the titles he won.
6. Yusuf Pathan
The younger brother of the Pathan brothers, Yusuf Pathan, was first called up to the Indian team (India National Cricket Team) for the 2007 T20 World Cup. He even made his debut in the final of that World Cup! He performed well in that match as an opening batsman. Later, he became a member of the 2011 World Cup-winning team. This right-handed middle-order batsman from Baroda won the IPL trophy with both Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders.