Top sports rivalries in Indian history

Rivalries are the heartbeat of sport. They are not just contests, they are stories of pride, identity, and obsession.

In India, a nation where sport ignites deep passion, rivalries have shaped legacies and fired up fans for generations. Whether it is the roar of a full stadium or a billion eyes glued to a screen, these clashes go beyond scores. They define eras.

Here are some of the fiercest and most iconic rivalries in Indian sports history.

1. India vs Pakistan: Cricket

No contest in Indian sport commands more global attention than an India vs Pakistan fixture in cricket. It is not just a game, it is a high-stakes drama layered with history, politics, and national emotion.

The 2007 T20 World Cup Final saw India clinch victory in a heart-pounding finish. In 2011, the stakes were even higher as India knocked Pakistan out in the World Cup semifinal at Mohali and went on to lift the trophy at home.

While Pakistan holds the edge in overall ODI wins, India dominates the head-to-head in ICC tournaments and remains unbeaten in all ODI World Cup encounters. Icons have emerged through this rivalry - like Tendulkar’s thunderous six off Shoaib Akhtar in the 2003 World Cup clash, Kohli’s masterclass in the 2022 T20 World Cup, and countless nail-biters that turned streets empty and living rooms into noisy cauldrons. When the two national face-off on the pitch, every delivery feels historic. This is cricket’s fiercest rivalry.

2. India vs Pakistan: Field hockey

Before cricket began to rule the subcontinent, hockey was the national obsession, and nothing stirred the soul more than an Indo-Pak showdown. From the 1950s to the 1980s, the two nations dominated world hockey, often meeting in Olympic and Asian Games finals. India defeated Pakistan 1–0 in the 1956 Olympics to secure a sixth straight gold, but Pakistan ended that streak in 1960, winning the final by the same score.

These weren’t just games. They were symbolic battles of pride and dominance. Radio broadcasts pulled in millions, and results could trigger public celebrations or mourning. The rivalry helped elevate Asian hockey to the global stage and remains one of the most historically charged in Indian sport.

3. Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal: Football

The Kolkata Derby is Indian football’s most passionate and storied rivalry. Since 1921, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal have clashed over more than just goals. They have battled over identity. Mohun Bagan traditionally represents the native Ghotis of Bengal, while East Bengal symbolizes the Bangals, migrants from present-day Bangladesh.

The 1975 IFA Shield Final, where East Bengal humiliated Mohun Bagan 5–0, has stood the test of time. Mohun Bagan had its moment of redemption in the 1992 Federation Cup Final, defeating East Bengal 2–0 to claim the title and restore some pride. The derby has seen attendances exceed 100,000 and has sparked both wild celebrations and violent clashes. In Indian football, nothing beats the intensity of this old-school face-off.

4. Milkha Singh vs Abdul Khaliq: Athletics

In 1960, India and Pakistan faced off in a different kind of arena - the running track. At the Lahore Indo-Pak athletics meet, Milkha Singh, India’s sprint sensation, took on Abdul Khaliq, Pakistan’s fastest man. In front of a roaring home crowd, Milkha outran Khaliq in the 200m final, a victory that earned him the title “The Flying Sikh,” reportedly conferred by Pakistan President Ayub Khan himself.

It wasn’t just a race. It was a post-Partition statement of resilience and resurgence. Milkha’s win became a symbol of Indian pride and continues to be remembered as a defining moment in the region’s athletic history.

5. Neeraj Chopra vs Arshad Nadeem: Javelin

This is a modern rivalry built on mutual respect and elite performance. Neeraj Chopra, India’s Olympic gold medalist from Tokyo, and Arshad Nadeem, Pakistan’s newly crowned Paris Olympic champion, have elevated javelin to a subcontinental spectacle that now commands global attention.

At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Arshad threw 90.18m to win gold, becoming the first South Asian to cross the 90m mark, while Neeraj was sidelined with injury. At the 2023 World Athletics Championships, Neeraj returned to win gold with 88.17m, while Arshad earned silver - Pakistan’s first-ever medal at the event.

Then came the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Arshad stunned the world with a throw of 92.97m, setting a new Olympic record and winning gold. Neeraj, with a superb 89.45m effort, claimed silver. It was the most significant head-to-head outing in the rivalry so far, marking a historic one-two finish for South Asia in track and field. These two athletes are redefining what Indian and Pakistani excellence looks like on the global stage.

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6. PV Sindhu vs Carolina Marin: Badminton

PV Sindhu’s rivalry with Spain’s Carolina Marin is one of badminton’s most electric and enduring showdowns. It is not just a battle of styles but of mindsets - Sindhu, calm and composed under pressure, versus Marin, aggressive and emotionally charged.

Their first clash came as teenagers at the 2010 World Junior Championships, where Sindhu won. It was the Rio 2016 Olympics final that elevated their rivalry to a global stage. Marin triumphed in three gripping games to win gold, becoming the first European woman to take the Olympic badminton title. Sindhu, then just 21, claimed silver - India’s first in women’s badminton.

Since then, they have faced each other on more than just one instance.

Sindhu clinched titles at the 2017 India Open and Dubai Superseries, while Marin struck back at the 2018 World Championships and again in recent battles like the 2023 Denmark Open and 2024 Singapore Open. Marin leads their head-to-head 12–6, but the battles are far closer than the numbers suggest.

Beyond the court, the two share mutual respect and a genuine camaraderie. This is a rivalry shaped by fire, focus, and the relentless desire to win.

7. Viswanathan Anand vs Vladimir Kramnik: Chess

This was a clash of intellects that changed Indian chess forever. In the 2008 World Chess Championship in Bonn, Viswanathan Anand faced former world champion Vladimir Kramnik.

Anand stunned the chess world with his deep preparation and aggressive strategy, catching Kramnik off guard and taking a commanding early lead. He went on to win the match 6.5 to 4.5 and successfully defended his world title.

Though built on mutual respect, the rivalry was fierce beneath the surface. Anand’s win established him as one of the greatest minds in the game and sparked a chess revolution in India - one that continues today with a new generation of grandmasters like Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa.

8. India vs Australia: Field hockey

One of India’s fiercest and most emotionally charged rivalries in team sports is its clash with Australia in men’s field hockey. What began as a tight contest in the 1980s gradually turned into lopsided affairs, with Australia dominating India for over two decades - often ending India’s campaigns in major events like the Champions Trophy and Commonwealth Games.

But India never backed down. Their meetings have showcased pace, tough tackles, and contrasting styles - Australia’s structure and physicality against India’s flair and finesse with the stick. At the Tokyo Olympics 2021, India suffered a 7–1 semifinal loss, but bounced back to win bronze, their first Olympic medal in over 40 years.

At the 2022 Commonwealth Games final, Australia inflicted another blow with a 7–0 win. Yet, recent encounters suggest a shift.

In 2023 and 2024, India battled hard in home series' and Pro League ties. Most memorably, they defeated Australia 3–2 at the 2024 Paris Olympics - their first Olympic win over the Kookaburras since 1972.

Now, with improved fitness and sharper defense, India is keeping pace and periodically outsmarting the evolving Australian side. That said, every match today reflects not just rivalry, but a changing balance - making it one of world hockey’s most thrilling showdowns.

9. Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings: IPL

This is a blockbuster fixture in the biggest franchise cricket league in India. Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings are the two titans of the IPL, each with five championships as of 2025. Their clashes are packed drama, action and theatrics. The 2019 IPL Final was a classic, with Mumbai winning by just one run in a heart-stopping finish.

It is a rivalry of styles too: Rohit Sharma’s situational exuberance against MS Dhoni’s calm and calculated leadership brilliance. The Wankhede vs Chepauk narrative and the yellow army vs the blue brigade dynamic makes every encounter feel like a final. This is the IPL’s ultimate showdown.

10. India vs Pakistan: Kabaddi

In the rough-and-tumble world of kabaddi, India has long been dominant, but Pakistan has always remained a gritty challenger. Matches between the two are physical, emotional, and fiercely contested. The most recent high-stakes clash played out at the 2023 Asian Games (delayed from 2022), where India crushed Pakistan 61–14 in a semifinal rout, reaffirming its supremacy.

Pakistan continues to push back in regional events like the South Asian Games, but India has claimed nearly every major kabaddi title since the sport gained international traction. Though it doesn’t command the spotlight like cricket, India–Pakistan kabaddi remains one of the last true battlegrounds of traditional rivalry - brutal, passionate, and deeply personal.

Rivalries create history

Rivalries don’t just entertain, they define greatness. They turn players into legends and matches into milestones.

India’s most iconic rivalries, whether rooted in history, geography, or personal ambition, have shaped its sporting identity and captured the imagination of millions.

From roaring stadiums to silent chess halls, these rivalries remind us that in sport, every match can be a battlefield and every victory, a moment in history.