Team India's wait for an ICC championship was extended by another year as the Men in Blue were unable to win the prized trophy in the T20 World Cup in Australia after losing to England by 10 wickets in the semifinal. Since India last reached the finals of an ICC tournament in 2017, it has been almost ten years since the Men in Blue have triumphed. Since then, India has played the role of the bridesmaid numerous times, making it to the semifinals and championship game, but never coming out on top.



Also Read: Here's why Adam Zampa was denied a run-out even though batsman was out of crease at non-strikers end - Watch


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

The Men in Blue will be looking to end their trophy-less run as Rohit Sharma and company prepare to host the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2023. According to Kapil Dev, the renowned Indian all-rounder who led his country to its maiden World Cup victory in 1983, India cannot just rely on players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to win ICC competitions. Kapil acknowledged that a team may be built around two or three marquee players, but they cannot be counted on to be the exclusive source of success.


In a conversation with ABP News, Kapil said, "If you want to win the World Cup, the coach, selectors, and team management will have to make some tough decisions. Personal interests will have to take a backseat and they will need to think about the team. Aap Virat pe, Rohit pe ya 2-3 players pe bharosa karenge ki woh hume World Cup jeetayenge toh aisa kabhi bhi nahi ho sakta (If you think Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and 2-3 players will win us the World Cup then that's never going to happen). You should believe in your team. Do we have such a team? Definitely. Do we have certain match winners? Yes, of course! We have players who can win the World Cup."


While stating that the younger generation of players will need to come up in crucial matches, Kapil remarked that India has the team and the calibre of players to win a World Cup and not rely on just one or two stars.


"There are always a couple of players who turn out to be the pillars of your side. The team revolves around them but we need to break that and build at least 5-6 players like that. That's why I say, you can't depend on Virat and Rohit. You need players who fulfill each of their responsibilities. The youngsters will need to come forward and say 'it is our time'," Kapil further added.