The Indian cricket team will have another shot at an ICC trophy in 2023. Two to be precise. They will play the World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval in June before hosting the 2023 ODI World Cup at home later in October with the team backed to emulate what MS Dhoni’s men had achieved in 2011. But former India head coach Ravi Shastri had a rather astonishing take on India’s chances in the two ICC events as he namedropped the legendary Sachin Tendulkar and Lionel Messi to exemplify his statement.
India have not won an ICC trophy in the last 10 years, their last being in Champions Trophy in 2013 under the leadership of Dhoni. Over the next 10 years, India reached the semis in the following two ODI World Cups (2015 and 2019). In T20 World Cups, they had reached the final in 2014 and made two semifinals in 2016 and 2022 while suffering a group-stage exit in 2021. Both in Champions Trophy and the inaugural WTC tournament, they had lost in the final.
Speaking to SportsYaari, Shastri explained that India have been consistent in ICC events and that they are long due of an ICC trophy but urged critics and fans to be patient. He feels that once India start winning, it will rain trophies.
The veteran India cricketer explained his point by taking the name of Sachin, saying that he played six World Cup tournaments in his illustrious career before winning one. He also named Argentine football great Messi explaining that once he broke the shackles he won the Copa America and the the FIFA World Cup.
“I think India are due. They have been consistent – they reached finals, semi-finals on a regular basis. Look at Sachin Tendulkar. He had to play six World Cups to win one ICC trophy. 6 World Cups means 24 years. And on his last World Cup, he won. Look at Lionel Messi. Classic example that is. I mean how long he has been playing. And when he started winning, he won the Copa America, and the the World Cup and scored in the final as well. So you have to wait. It will rain,” he said.
