The legendary Caribbean batsman Brian Lara confidently feels that the present Indian team is capable of winning every tournament. He has also revealed the name of the players who can break his world record of 400 runs knock in a Test innings.
The new year (2020) is the special year for the cricket fans as 16 teams will participate in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2020 in Australia from 18th October to 15th November. West Indies, who are the only side to win two T20 World Cups, will feature in this upcoming tournament as the defending champions.
Many experts believe that India is one of the strong sides who will begin the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2020 as a favorite side to win the trophy. Though India haven’t won an ICC trophy after 2013, the experts still have strong faith in the Virat Kohli-leading Indian team. From 2014, India have played four ICC trophies where they lost three semi-finals and one final.
Brian Lara believes that the present Indian team is capable of winning all the tournaments.
Lara recently told India Today, “I think they are definitely capable of winning all tournaments that they play. I think what Virat Kohli and company and the Indian team has to appreciate the fact that everybody sort of target India. Everybody knows that some point of time one team is going to play that important match against India. If it’s a quarter-final, semi-final and final.”
David Warner, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma can break Brian Lara’s highest Test knock record
In April 2004, during the Antigua Test against England, Brian Lara became the first batsman to score 400 runs in a Test innings. The left-handed batsman played a remarkable knock of unbeaten 400 runs off 582 balls after coming to bat at the no.3 position. It is still a record of the highest score in a Test innings.
Brian Lara recently clarified that he was disappointed after Australian Test captain Tim Paine’s early declaration in the Adelaide Test against Pakistan that prevented opening batsman David Warner to go for the rare 400 runs knock. Warner remained not out on 335 runs as Lara’s record is still intact.
However, Brian Lara feels that Indian cricketers Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli can also break his 400-run record in a Test innings, apart from David Warner. The Caribbean legend has also revealed why it will be difficult for Steven Smith to score 400 runs in a Test innings.
Lara claimed, “It would be difficult for Steve Smith to do it batting at No.4 for Australia. He is a great player but he doesn’t dominate. You know a player like David Warner for sure. A player like Virat Kohli, who gets in early and gets set. He is a very attacking player. Rohit Sharma on his day. So they have got quite a group of players who can do so.”
Brian Lara is also the only batsman in first-class cricket history to score 500 runs in an innings (501* for Warwickshire against Durham in June 1994).