Former England cricketer Nasser Hussain believes that given the amount of skill in the squad, India will start as one of the favourites to win the ODI World Cup on home soil, but not as a certainty given the presence of strong rival nations attending the major event in India.
The last time the ODI World Cup was played in Asia, India won the tournament by defeating Sri Lanka in the final on home soil in 2011. Since the 2011 World Cup, the host nations have got their hands on the prestigious trophy for three consecutive times. Australia won the World Cup in 2015 when they co-hosted with New Zealand and England won the trophy as hosts in 2019 beating New Zealand in a nail-biting encounter.
Speaking on Sky Cricket, Nasser Hussain feels that host nation India will walk in as one of the favourites for the ODI World Cup, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli being one of the greatest white-ball cricketers of this era along with young batting sensation Shubman Gill and Jasprit Bumrah in the team. He also thinks that the team is well-rounded enough to win the mega event in India.
“They are the favourites but I will not call them the clear favourites just because of the amount of quality sides there are in the tournament.
“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 with three double hundreds in this format and Virat Kohli, a great player in any situation but 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 -and the bowlers they have is right up there one of the best squads in the tournament,” Nasser Hussain said.
India’s performance in ICC competitions has been disappointing in recent times. They have not won an ICC title since MS Dhoni led the team to glory in the 2013 Champions Trophy. The Men in Blue will be one of the favourites for the tournament and will be desperate to lay their hands on the coveted trophy.
The Other Thing That They Will Have To Overcome Is The Pressure – Nasser Hussain
Nasser Hussain feels that the Indian team will be under tremendous pressure to win the championship on home soil, as they have fallen short of the ICC titles after reaching the knockout stages of the mega events in both white-ball and red-ball cricket.
“The other thing that they will have to overcome is the pressure. Now you would argue that an Indian cricketer is under pressure all the time. But where they have fallen short maybe since 2011 (2013) in the ICC events is when they reach to knockout stage”. Nasser Hussain added.
The Men in Blue have wilted under duress in crucial periods of the game, losing the Champions Trophy final in 2017, the semifinals in 2019, and the WTC finals versus New Zealand and Australia, failing to win the title despite reaching the event’s finals.