India have started the 2005-06 cricket season on an auspicious note with eleven wins from sixteen one-day internationals. This gives the 'Men in Blue' an impressive success percentage of 68.75. The Indian team reached the final of the Videocon Cup in Zimbabwe, then beat the then second-ranked Sri Lankans by a convincing margin of 6-1 and finally drew a series against a formidable South African outfit.

Following are details of previous seasons wherein India got off to a similar, flying start:

* 1983 & 1983-84: India won eight out of ten matches (winning percentage - 80). They commenced the World Cup as rank underdogs. But they surprised one and all by beating defending champions West Indies in the final. Back home, they overwhelmed arch-rivals Pakistan in back-to-back matches by the identical margin of four wickets.

* 1988-89: India triumphed in eight out of eleven matches (success percentage - 72.73). The season began with the Asia Cup in Bangladesh. India reached the final and beat Sri Lanka by six wickets. The winners then returned home to make a clean sweep of a four-match one-day series against New Zealand.

* 1993-94: India won eight and tied one of its first twelve one-day internationals (success percentage - 70.83). The season began with the five-nation Hero Cup tournament, which had been organized to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of the Cricket Association of Bengal. India's passage to the final was marked by a sensational last-over, two-run win over South Africa in the semi-final. India thrashed the West Indies by 102 runs in the final with leg-spinner Anil Kumble returning figures of 6-12, still the best bowling figures by an Indian in one-day internationals. Mohammad Azharuddin bagged the Man of the Series award. India went on to win the subsequent three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka.

* 1994-95: India won eight out of ten games (success percentage - 80.00). Azharuddin's team overwhelmed the West Indies by 72 runs in the final of the triangular Wills World Series (New Zealand was the third side). Sachin Tendulkar bagged the Man of the Match and Man of the Series awards. India then resumed its 'war' against the West Indies in a bilateral one-day series and beat the visitors 4-1.