Last Update on: November 13th, 2023 at 06:55 pm
Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri gave a stern warning to India ahead of the knockout stage of the ICC World Cup 2023. He said that if they don’t win this time then it’ll be very difficult for them to lift the Cup as it’ll take them years.
The dream of the Indian cricket team lifting the ICC World Cup 2023 is still alive and kicking. The Men in Blue have produced a dominating performance in the league stage of the tournament and have raised the hopes of fans a lot. They remained unbeaten in the league stage and won 9 out of the 9 games in the tournament.
But the biggest challenge will be up for them now. Since 2013 knockout stages of the tournament have troubled them a lot and they have failed to handle the pressure. This time a lot of eyes would be on them as they will be playing in front of the home crowd.
India has displayed a dominating brand of cricket in the league stage. Batters have displayed an aggressive approach whereas bowlers have been right on the money. If they manage to play the same way, it’s fair to say that they can lift the tournament as well.
Ravi Shastri believes that this is India’s best chance to win the World Cup. He stressed his statement while highlighting that players are at their peak and conditions are in their favor. Speaking on the Club Prairie Fire podcast, he elaborated:
“If they miss out this time, they would probably have to wait another three World Cups for even thinking of trying to win it. The pool of players are such the 7-8 players are at their peak. This could well be their last World Cup. The way they are playing, given the conditions, they have got the team to win it.”
IND vs NZ: It is extraordinary – Ravi Shastri on India’s bowling lineup
Ravi Shastri further heaped rich praise Indian bowling lineup, saying that it’s extraordinary. He highlighted the hard work put behind it and decoded the lengths they have bowled. He added:
“It is extraordinary and it has taken time, it has not happened overnight. They have been playing with each (of them) for four to five years. Siraj joined the party three years ago. They know the kind of areas to hit on a consistent basis. They know it is not important to look flashy when you bowl. It is more about consistency and getting the ball in the right areas.
“In this World Cup, they have bowled hardly any short balls. if there is a short ball, it is used as a surprise weapon. 90 per cent of the time they have been targeting the stumps like you must do in India hitting those three-quarters lengths. Because of their seam positions, they are getting the ball to nip around and that is causing a lot of problems. It is the best attack in 50 years ever since white-ball cricket started.”
India will be next seen in action when they will take on New Zealand in the semi-final on Wednesday (15th November) at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
