Former England captain Nasser Hussain and renowned broadcaster and former New Zealand pacer Simon Doull have expressed their concerns over the Indian cricket team’s failure to secure an ICC trophy in over a decade. Despite possessing a formidable squad and achieving success in bilateral series, India has faced repeated disappointment in ICC events, including the World Cups and Champions Trophies.
Hussain and Doull highlighted a significant issue plaguing the Indian team: a lack of fearless cricket in high-pressure knockout matches. According to Doull, Indian players often prioritize individual statistics over the team’s success, leading to a conservative and risk-averse approach in crucial games.
Doull said
“They play statistics-driven cricket and they are too worried about their stats too often,” Doull stated. This cautious mindset, he believes, has held them back in recent World Cups. The fear of criticism and scrutiny from the media and fans appears to be a significant factor preventing Indian players from expressing themselves freely on the global stage.
“They don’t go out there and and take risks because they are so worried about what might be said or what might be printed or what might someone ask them about their place in the team. That’s the one area I am concerned with,” he said.
Hussain echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that India needs to adopt a more aggressive and fearless approach during knockout games. He believes that going “above par” and maintaining composure in high-pressure situations are key to achieving success in ICC tournaments.
Despite these concerns, both experts acknowledged India’s exceptional talent and potential. With star players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, along with emerging talents like Shubman Gill and the return of Jasprit Bumrah, India possesses one of the strongest squads for the upcoming ODI World Cup, to be held on home soil.
Eoin Morgan said that they have the strongest squad in the world. “If you look at the squad I mean they have got two of the greatest white ball batters, there has ever been in the game. Rohit Sharma has three double hundreds in this format and Virat Kohli is a great player in any situation but the greatest player in a run chase you would want.
“You have got possibly one of the future greats in Shubman Gill, he is a real talent. Jasprit Bumrah coming back for them is an outstanding bonus because he bowls in all phases of the game. I think that batting line-up and the bowlers they have is right up there one of the best squad in the tournament,” he said..
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