Source: hindustantimes.com
Ahead of the blockbuster match against Pakistan at the MCG, India captain Rohit Sharma opened up on the team’s title drought.
On Sunday, Team India’s quest once again begins to end their long-standing ICC trophy drought. Between the period of 2007 and 2013, India won three ICC trophies – the T20 World Cup in 2007, the ODI World Cup in 2011 and Champions Trophy in 2013. But nine years hence, India, regarded as one of the strongest teams across formats, has failed to grab another elusive trophy. And ahead of the blockbuster match against Pakistan at the MCG, India captain Rohit Sharma opened up on the team’s title drought.
Since 2013, India have reached the final on three occasions – 2014 T20 World Cup, 2017 Champions Trophy and the ICC Test Championship in 2021; and reached the semi-finals three other times. Despite India failing to close in on crucial, Rohit remains optimistic and feels that the T20 World Cup in Australia gives India another chance at ending the unwanted streak and termed it as a challenge rather than pressure.
“I do not want to say pressure, but it is a definitely challenge for us to come out on top in ICC tournaments. Yes, there has been not the performance what we would like to show in ICC tournaments, especially big games, but I believe the opportunity always comes and we have the opportunity now to come here and do well so I think we will have to focus on certain things to get that right.”
“Yes, it is a challenge to not win ICC trophy for nine years, if I am not wrong. The last one we won was in 2013. It has been a challenge with the team like us, there is lot of expectations, we certainly little disappointed with that. This tournament gives us that chance to change it and do well. We certainly know we have to play our best cricket to do well here. We need to take it one game at a time, and then go ahead,” Rohit said on Saturday, ahead of their much-anticipated opener against arch-rivals Pakistan.
“There are times like this time when we don’t have much information about how teams have fared at this time of the year. At times, you depend on your instincts and choose the player on current form and how he is doing. But we also study a lot of data. I am open about my playing XI. I don’t mind having one or two changes per game in the playing XI,” he added.
