If success can be counted by reaching the semi-final or the final of a tournament, no team in world cricket is as successful as team India, who have made it a habit of making it to the final phase of any ICC tournament, but not crossing the final line. And former India opener Aakash Chopra too feels that they need to reach the podium, in an order to earn success.
During the 2014 T20 World Cup in Bangladesh, the Indian team had a great tournament, as they reached the final, beating a strong South African side, but couldn’t do justice to their hard work, losing the final to Sri Lanka. In the next year’s ODI World Cup, they lost the semi-final against Australia, before accepting an emotional defeat against West India in the 2016 T20 World Cup semi-final.
The same story continued for them during the 2017 Champions Trophy in England, where they lost the final against arch-rival Pakistan. In the last edition of the T20 World Cup 2022, India lost the semi-final against England at the Adelaide Oval, while recording another loss to Australia in the ODI World Cup 2023.
The colour of the ball changed, but the fate of the team remained the same, as they lost both the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) against New Zealand and the Aussies.
‘You want India to have the trophy in their hands’ – Aakash Chopra
The time has come when the fans or no one in this country could count a season with a semi-final finish as a successful one, and the former India opener Aakash Chopra feels the same. The trend has been going on for a long time, and it’s high time, India do better.
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In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra observed that the inaugural champions of the tournament will have another golden opportunity to do well in this ongoing Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
“There are a plethora of opportunities. Let’s be very honest, the mirror does not lie. We won in 2007, it was the inaugural edition, and since then we haven’t really lived up to the expectations,” the former opener expressed in the video. “We played a final, it was the 2014 tournament in Bangladesh, played the semi-final many times, but the semi-final is not a sign of victory anymore.”
The Delhi-born points out that Rohit Sharma-led 15-member squad will first need to reach the final and then go a step better given it might be the end of a few senior players.
“India need to reach the podium to be successful. Finishing in the top two is the bare minimum. It’s possible things might not go in your favor in the final but at least the finals,” Chopra noted in the video.
“I also feel this might be the last World Cup for a lot of people, so you want them to have the trophy in their hands.”
The management has decided to keep faith on their experienced players for the world event, rather than going with a young side, as he advises India to go with a positive approach which they missed in the last edition.
“What will be the strategy? I don’t think the strategy will change as compared to the way we played last year (2022 T20 World Cup).’ He gave his reason. ‘It’s almost going to be the same because the conditions are also like that. The new ball is moving a lot, especially in New York, and in the West Indies, one or two pitches have looked extremely slow.”
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India needs to be careful about batting with an aggressive mode, led by Rohit at the top, besides being careful against the decent bowling attack of Ireland too.
“Rohit Sharma might come in an ultra-aggressive mode but even he might not as you are trying to bat long. So, strategy is not changing a lot. Don’t believe we will look to and will score 60 runs in the first six overs every time,” the renowned commentator conclude. “Don’t count the USA and Canada matches, I am talking about the real matches like Pakistan and even against Ireland. Their new-ball attack is decent.”
India will start their tournament against Ireland on June 05, at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, where they meet Pakistan on June 09.