NEW DELHI: Indian captain
Rohit Sharma
expresses a strong belief that the team's moment to secure an elusive
ICC trophy
is on the horizon.
The disappointment of the recent World Cup 2023 final loss to Australia extended India's pursuit of an ICC title to a decade, with their last triumph occurring in the 2013 Champions Trophy under the leadership of MS Dhoni.
Despite the prolonged wait, Rohit remains optimistic, emphasising that the team is confident in their abilities and is determined to break the title drought. The captain's unwavering belief suggests a resilient and positive mindset within the
Indian cricket team
as they continue their quest for international success.
"The last three years have been great. Except winning the finals of ICC trophies, we have won everything," Rohit said while talking to JioCinema on the sidelines of their opening Test against England in Hyderabad.
"That's one thing we've not been able to accomplish, but I think time will come. All we need to do is stay in a good mindset, not worry too much about the past, because you can't change the past.
"What you can change is what is going to come next, so all of us are quite focussed on that. We are playing our hearts out."
Team India has faced a series of heartbreaks in major ICC tournaments over the years. After being runners-up in the T20I World Cup in 2014, the team encountered semi-final exits in subsequent events, including the 2015 ODI World Cup, the 2016 T20 World Cup, and the 2019 ODI World Cup.
The agony continued as they suffered defeats in the finals of the 2017 Champions Trophy, amplifying the frustration of coming close but falling short in major tournaments. The trend persisted with a semi-final loss in the 2022 T20 World Cup, adding to the team's near misses.
In addition to limited-overs disappointments, India also experienced setbacks in Test cricket, losing in the finals of the first two
World Test Championship
cycles.
These successive defeats in crucial matches have undoubtedly fueled the team's determination to break the jinx and secure a coveted ICC trophy in the near future. The challenges and lessons from past tournaments likely contribute to the team's ongoing pursuit of international success.
No number-game
Rohit, renowned for his aggressive style of strokemaking, elaborated on his approach to captaincy. His captaincy style might involve fostering an environment of positive and fearless cricket, encouraging players to express themselves and play with flair.
"I wanted to bring about a certain change, players going out there and playing with a lot of freedom. I wanted to take the statistical side of cricket out of this team.
"Numbers are overrated. In India, we do talk a lot about numbers and all of that. I got five hundreds in the 2019 World Cup, but we still lost. The hundreds don't matter.
"I may think about them maybe 20 years later, after I retire, but what did we get? I wanted the trophy.
"If you don't win trophies, I don't think those 5-6 hundreds make too much sense. Team sport is all about winning trophies, not about individual accomplishments," he added.
(With PTI inputs)
English (US) ·