"When I see Virat's wife, I see the kind of pressure she is feeling" - Sourav Ganguly on why Team India struggle in big ICC matches
Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly cited the side pushing too hard instead of relaxing and playing with freedom as the reason behind them falling short in the knockout stages of ICC events. He also gave his thoughts on the team's displays in various editions of the 50-over World Cup.
Despite winning two 50-over World Cups and a T20 World Cup, Team India have endured a torrid time in the latter stages of tournaments in recent years. The side have not emerged victorious in an ICC event since their title run in the 2013 Champions Trophy.
In an interview with RevSportz ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup, Ganguly highlighted the faces of the wives of Indian stars like Virat Kohli as an example of the pressure the team is under during big matches.
"If I can say something to Rahul [Dravid] and, make no mistake, he is a champion cricketer and cricket brain, it will be to relax a little. When I see Rohit’s wife in the stands, it is evident how much pressure she is under. When I see Virat’s wife, I see the kind of pressure she is feeling," said Ganguly.
Ganguly pointed to the Indian side unraveling due to the same in the 2003 World Cup final against Australia under his captaincy.
"We in India make this mistake of pushing too much. I think back to the 2003 [World Cup] final, for example. If anything, we need to relax when we are playing the big games. Just play with freedom," added Ganguly.
After winning the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007, Team India have not tasted success in the next seven editions, with two semi-final losses and a final loss. In the previous edition in 2022, the Men in Blue rampaged through the league stage before suffering a 10-wicket defeat to eventual champions England.
"In the 2023 World Cup, despite losing the final, I will say India was the best team" - Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly believes Team India were the best side in the 2023 ODI World Cup despite falling short against Australia in the grand finale. The Men in Blue won all nine league-stage games and the semi-final against New Zealand before the final defeat against the Aussies.
Ganguly is of the opinion that playing with more freedom in big finals could do wonders for the side.
"In the 2023 World Cup, despite losing the final, I will say India was the best team. We played some fantastic cricket right through the competition. If only we could be a little relaxed for the final. That’s what I want to see. That we play with freedom, but also don’t put too much pressure on ourselves," said Ganguly.
Team India are part of Group A for the 2024 T20 World Cup alongside Pakistan, Ireland, the U.S.A., and Canada.
They will play their tournament opener against Ireland in New York on Wednesday, June 5.