Former head coach Ravi Shastri expresses strong confidence in India as a "serious challenger" in the upcoming T20 World Cup, highlighting their robust foundation in the shortest format. He emphasises the necessity of performing well in knockout games for ultimate success.
Over a week has passed since Australia defeated India convincingly in a one-sided final in Ahmedabad on November 19. The cricket community is still processing the outcome, especially considering India's 10-match unbeaten run leading up to the title clash.
Shastri said that India have recognised a core group of young players as part of the preparations for the T20 World Cup set to commence in the Caribbean and the USA from June 2024.
"It was heartbreaking but a lot of our guys will learn, the game moves on, and I see India winning a World Cup very soon," Shastri said.
"It might not be a 50-overs (one) that easily because you have to rebuild the side but 20-overs cricket, the very next one India will be a very serious challenger because you have got the nucleus. This is a shorter format of the game. Your focus should be on that."
With the presence of impact players like Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Rinku Singh, India have a robust T20 core.
Shastri said it's still painful to remember that India, the strongest team, couldn't win the ODI World Cup final.
"To be honest, it still hurts from the outside, that we could not win the cup because we were the strongest team." "Nothing comes easy -- even the great man Sachin Tendulkar had to wait (for) six World Cups to win one. You don't win (a) World Cup (easily), to win a World Cup you have got to be damn good on that big day," Shastri said during the registration launch of the Indian Street Premier League.
"What you do earlier does not count, on that big day, that is when you rise to the occasion. Even before the start of the tournament, you knew, what happens (in terms of the format).
'Early doors (are there), (and) once top four teams are there, in the semifinal and final, those two days if you perform, you win. And those were the two days when Australia performed when they came from nowhere," said the former India skipper.
"They lost the first two, but on the D-day, the two days, they did," Shastri commented on Australia, who secured their sixth 50-over World Cup title, a record achievement.
Shastri said India had the 'best chance' with the bowlers, led by Mohammed Shami, who claimed 24 wickets.
“The way the bowling stood up towards the mid-stage of the tournament you thought they had a great, great chance,” the former head coach concluded.
(Powered by AI, Inputs by India Today)
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