5 times India's big-names came up short in major finals

Over the years, India have produced some magnificent batsmen who have single-handedly taken their side to victory on numerous occasions. Be it Sachin Tendulkar in the late 1990s and early 2000s or Virat Kohli today, the entire nation puts their hope on these particular batsmen to perform on the big stage.

However, there are times when these batsmen falter when it matters most. With all the pressure on their shoulders, these batsmen have crumbled in big finals and disappointed a lot of fans.

In this article, we take a look at 5 big names who faltered for India in cup finals over the years.

#5 Sachin Tendulkar, 2003 World Cup final

After the infamous match-fixing scandal which rocked the cricketing world in 2000, Sourav Ganguly was the perfect man to lead the revival of the Indian cricket team. Sachin Tendulkar, who didn’t perform well with the bat when he was made captain was a beast under Ganguly’s captaincy.

Opening the batting with Virender Sehwag in the 2003 World Cup, Sachin decimated every opposition he came up against and led the Indian batting attack with aplomb. His performances against England and Pakistan will be remembered by Indian fans forever.

However, he faltered when it mattered most. Chasing a mammoth total of 360 in the final against the mighty Australians, Tendulkar looked to attack right from the very beginning.

After hitting Glenn Mcgrath for a four in the third delivery of the first over, Sachin went for another big shot in the next ball as well. Unfortunately, he top edged the ball and gave an easy catch to Mcgrath.