India’s World Cup 2011 winning squad: Where are our heroes now?

Millions of dreams came true when India lifted the ODI World Cup 2011 on April 2 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The Indian squad was filled with stars, as it is said to be the most accomplished team in India in 50-overs cricket. From Sachin Tendulkar to Virat Kohli, the squad had the world’s best players. As we celebrate the 13th anniversary of India’s World Cup victory, we should look at where the faces of that epic victory picture are and what they are doing now.

The winning six from Dhoni is a moment that any Indian fan can replay and rewind a thousand and a million times. Yuvraj Singh lifting Dhoni up, the Indian player running towards the ground to celebrate the win, Yuvraj caring, we cannot forget a single moment from that day. And, we still cherish all the players who provided us with the triumph. Though most of the players have retired, few are still playing the game and excelling in it.

India’s ODI World Cup 2011 winning squad

MS Dhoni (c), Sachin Tendulkar, Virendar Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, S Sreesanth, Ashish Nehra, Ravichandan Ashwin, Piyush Chawla, Yusuf Pathan.

MS Dhoni

After winning the ODI World Cup, Dhoni guided the team to a Champions Trophy win and reached the top spot in all formats. He retired from the all-format on August 15, 2020, handing over his captaincy to Virat Kohli. He is now playing for CSK in the IPL 2024. It could be his last season. 

Sachin Tendulkar

The Master Blaster achieved almost everything in his cricketing career; he only wanted to win the World Cup, which he achieved in 2011. He announced his retirement on November 16, 2013. He was a member of the Rajya Sabha till 2018. He is now enjoying his retirement with friends and family, and he is sometimes seen playing in Legends cricket tournaments. 

Virendar Sehwag

Sehwag last played his international match in 2013 and then dropped due to a decline in performance. Sehwag declared his retirement in October 2015. Following his retirement, he participated in various retired-player leagues. He is currently a commentator and cricket analyst. Sehwag also entertains his fans through hilarious tweets. In IPL 2024, Sehwag tried doing different things with commentators in his regional language. 

Yuvraj Singh

The ‘Player of the Tournament’- Yuvraj Singh had to move away from cricket at the peak of his career as he suffered from cancer. He then announced his retirement in June 2019, yet he continues to play in several global retired players’ leagues.

Gautam Gambhir

Gambhir’s international cricket career concluded in 2016. After his retirement, he ventured into politics in 2019. He served as a coach for several IPL teams and provided commentary during IPL matches. Presently, he serves as a mentor for KKR in the IPL.

Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan Singh retired in December 2021. He entered politics with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in March of 2022. In addition, he plays in leagues for retired cricket players and has a YouTube channel.

Zaheer Khan

Zaheer Khan declared his retirement from all formats in 2017. He presently works as a cricket analyst and the director of cricket operations for the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2024.

Munaf Patel

Munaf Patel retired in November 2018. He was last seen playing for the Indian Veteran Premier League for Chhattisgarh Warriors.

Virat Kohli

Kohli is the only of the two players who are still part of India’s squad. He led the team after Dhoni’s retirement. In World Cup 2023, he was the leading run-scorer in the tournament. Currently, he is playing for RCB as a batter.

Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina’s international career ended in 2018, retiring in August 2020 with MS Dhoni’s announcement. Engaged in T20 leagues post-retirement, he joined commentary for IPL and international games.

S Sreesanth

S. Sreesanth’s last ODI was the World Cup final. Retired in 2013, he later joined the BJP, appeared on Bigg Boss, and played in T20 leagues.

Ashish Nehra

Nehra retired in November 2018. Following his retirement, he was employed by RCB as a bowling coach. He is the Gujarat Titans’ IPL head coach at the moment.

Ravichandan Ashwin

Ashwin is the second player from the World Cup 2011 who is still playing international cricket. He also has a YouTube channel.

Piyush Chawla

After 2012, Piyush Chawla was excluded from the team, yet Chawla continues to participate in the Indian Premier League. Despite not formalizing his retirement plans, IPL 2024 might mark his concluding season.

Yusuf Pathan

Pathan retired in 2021 and went on to play in T20 and T10 leagues around the world. He has entered politics by joining the Trinamool Congress (TMC) for the upcoming general election.