The Indian Tigers were formed back in 2008 as the team representing India in the AFL International Cup 2008. Since then there has been no let up and the newest squad of Indian Tigers is all set to contest the International Cup in 2014. The first Indian Tigers team had only half the team residing in India as the game itself had officially been launched the same year and building a team from scratch was no mean feat. However, the present association is hoping the team representing India in IC2014 will have more locals and set a glorious example to follow for subsequent teams.

The absence of regular Footy players in the country meant the contingent from India mostly comprised of players playing other outdoor team sports like soccer, rugby and kabaddi at some level. Although there are still no full-time Footy players today, the players available for selection now practice Footy almost throughout the weak in testing weather and pitch conditions all year round.

The first Indian Tigers team was captained by Mario Shelton, a former rugby player having represented the nation previously at the U-17 level. Under him, the Tigers made their IC debut in 2008. Although the tournament run ended without a single victory, neutrals heralded the team as one of the best debutants to have burst through the IC scene. As the next edition of IC loomed, another player who had been involved since 2008, Sudip Chakraborty, took up the reigns and under his stewardship the Tigers recorded their first international victory against Timor Leste. Sudip has carried on Footy development as the first to work full-time for development of Aussie Rules in India since and is all set to lead the team again in the 2014 edition of the IC.

The present Tigers team boasts of players from more than two states for the first time with players from West Bengal, Maharashtra, Kerala and Jharkhand standing a chance and these guys will be joined by their brothers residing in Australia for the International Cup this coming August. The Indian Tigers may not be blessed with the most comfortable setup in terms of resources but they more than make up for it in spirit. They will take the field with an expectant base looking on and hoping for another big stride towards proving their worth and help push the development bill for the exciting new sport in the country.

If you love India / Indians, The Chicken Tikka / Curry, the Richmond Tigers, Bollywood or even Sachin Tendulkar, here is your chance to lend a helping hand to support the Indian Tigers gather enough funds to successfully complete their tour to Australia for the AFL International Cup 2014, to be held in Melbourne this August. Please get in touch withsudhasil.mitra@aflindia.in for the same.