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England batting legend Nasser Hussain in a big statement said that Team India won't be clear favourites for the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023 in the home turf and urged Men in Blue to play fearless cricket in knockout matches.
In 2023, as the world turns its gaze towards the spectacle of the ICC ODI World Cup, India, hosting the grand event, finds itself under immense scrutiny. With a year packed full of One Day Internationals (ODIs) leading up to the World Cup, fans and cricket pundits have eagerly analysed every move of the Indian cricket team.
Kicking off the year with triumphant home series victories against teams like Sri Lanka and New Zealand, the Indian squad demonstrated their formidable prowess on the field. However, the momentum experienced a slight jolt as they lost the home series to Australia, albeit bouncing back with a commendable performance in their ODI series in the West Indies.
An essential highlight of India's journey in 2023 was their spirited display during the Asia Cup. Even though they suffered a narrow defeat to Bangladesh in the Super Four's climax, standout performances from Shubman Gill, who celebrated his fifth ODI century, and Axar Patel's fearless batting painted a hopeful picture for the forthcoming World Cup. The Indian team subsequently found themselves in a high-voltage Asia Cup finale against Sri Lanka.
A fascinating pattern in recent cricket history is that host nations have clinched the World Cup title in the last three editions. Naturally, this positions India as one of the frontrunners for the cup this year. However, Nasser Hussain, the former English captain and cricketing luminary, offers a more nuanced perspective.
In a candid conversation with Sky Sports, Hussain shed light on India's standing among the elite teams. "They're favorites but they're not clear favorites because of the amount of quality sides there are," he remarked.
Elaborating further, he lauded the sheer talent of Indian batsmen like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, along with promising stars like Shubman Gill. With Jasprit Bumrah's return, the bowling department is also a force to reckon with. Yet, Hussain identified a potential chink in the armor – a notable absence of all-rounders, as "the batters, they don't bowl and the bowlers don't bat."
Drawing attention to India's past performances, Hussain emphasized the team's need to overcome pressures, especially during the decisive knockout matches. "You could argue that there's pressure all the time on Indian players. But where they have fallen short is the knockouts since the 2011 World Cup," he observed.
His final words of wisdom for the Indian squad as they step into this crucial juncture? "They need to play above par, play fearless cricket. I think they will get to the knockout stage, but when they get to the semifinal, that's when they need to play fearless cricket."
As the cricketing universe buzzes with anticipation, only time will reveal if India heeds Hussain's advice and etches their mark on the World Cup trophy once again.
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