Team India might have reached the final of Asia Cup 2023 on back of some terrific performances from both batters and bowlers. But for some former internationals, they are still not the ‘clear’ favourites to win the ICC ODI World Cup 2023. Despite being the hosts, former England cricketer Nasser Hussain does not call India the clear favourites, saying their problem is not playing ‘fearless cricket’ at the business end of the tournament.
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Hussain, while speaking to Sky Cricket, says that India have a great team but where they have continued to fail is at the knockout stage of an ICC tournament. He says that this has been the trend since the 2011 World Cup. Hussain said that when the pressure is on in the knockout stages, the Indians still need to play fearless cricket.
Former New Zealand pacer Simon Doull concurred with Hussain’s thoughts on India’s squad, saying the lack of ‘fearless’ attitude is what has let them down. He added that Indian cricket focus more on stats and less of playing fearless cricket. “Indian players don’t play fearless cricket. They play stats-driven cricket. Indian players are too worried about the stats too often. To me, that is one area I am concerned about their batting.”
4 out of the 5 last World Cups have been won by the home side… _
Are India the favourites? ___
__ “Fearless cricket is their issue.” pic.twitter.com/ZpGKU3LpN6
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 15, 2023
Doull pointed that Indian cricketers avoid risks in the knockout stages as they are always worried about what will be said about them in the newspapers and social media. “They have got all the talent. It is about playing fearless cricket at the right time of the tournament and I think that is what has really let them down in the last three World Cups. They don’t go out and take risks because they are so worried about what might be said, about what might be printed,” said Doull.
At the same time, England’s World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan said that India’s key player will be Hardik Pandya. Morgan said that if Pandya is able to produce 6 overs of quality pace bowling, he would be a great asset for Team India. Morgan said that if a team has an all-rounder in their top six who can bowl, they have all the makings of a champion team. The Ex-England captain added that Pandya has bowled very well in the ongoing Asia Cup 2023 and will be interesting to see whether he is able to carry the same form to the all-important World Cup.
