Former head coach Ravi Shastri has shared his perspective on India’s recent losses in knockout matches of ICC tournaments, emphasizing the need for a collective effort rather than singling out individuals for not winning the trophy. Shastri defended the team’s performances, highlighting their journey to the semi-finals and finals of various ICC events.
India’s last ICC Trophy victory dates back to 2013, when the MS Dhoni-led team triumphed over England in the Champions Trophy final. However, the Men in Blue have failed to secure a title in the past 10 ICC tournaments, despite reaching the semi-finals and finals on multiple occasions. Their recent World Test Championship (WTC) Finals also ended in defeat.
In an interview with The Week, Ravi Shastri underscored the significance of a collective team effort in achieving success in ICC tournaments. He rejected blaming one individual or captain for the team’s inability to secure major trophies.
“I would not say that. I mean, these two teams that were playing [India and Australia] were the only two teams that had a chance to win all three World Cups. And it is not that we have been rolled over [at World Cups]. We have been in semi-finals, we have been in finals,” Shastri said.
Shastri pointed out that India has consistently been competitive in ICC events, reaching the semi-finals and finals. He stressed that winning a major tournament requires a combined effort from the entire team rather than relying on one individual. Shastri defended the team’s performances by highlighting their competitiveness against strong opponents.
“We have not got it because when you want to win the big one, you need a combined effort. You cannot blame one individual, one captain,” the former India head coach said.
The former India head coach emphasized the importance of significant contributions from the batting lineup in knockout matches. He highlighted the collective failure of India’s batting unit in the WTC final against Australia, where big knocks were necessary to set up the match for the bowlers and increase their chances of winning.
“You need 100s in a World Cup, World Test Championship final. Then you have a good chance of setting it up for the bowlers and winning the trophy. If you do not get a 100, you need at least three 50s, whether it is Test, T20 or one-day cricket. If you have not done that, you do not deserve to win,” he concluded.
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Shastri stated that scoring centuries in World Cups or World Test Championship finals, or at least three half-centuries, is crucial for success. He emphasized the need for batsmen to deliver when it matters most and contribute to setting up victories for the team.
Looking ahead, India is set to participate in the Asia Cup 2023 before the ODI World Cup 2023. As one of the favorites, the Rohit Sharma-led team will aim to end their ICC trophy drought in the tournament scheduled to be played in India from October 5 to November 19. The team will focus on their collective effort and strong performances to claim the coveted title.
