Team India’s emphatic 243-run victory over South Africa in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 has propelled them into the semi-finals of the tournament. The Men in Blue have been in impeccable form, winning eight consecutive matches, and former Indian cricketer Sanjay Bangar has attributed their success to captain Rohit Sharma’s leadership.
Speaking exclusively to Star Sports show “Follow the Blues,” Bangar lauded Sharma’s ability to back players who were injured or lacking in confidence. He cited the examples of Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and Jasprit Bumrah, who have all made significant contributions to the team’s success after returning from injuries.
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“I believe his USP is that he’s backed the players who were injured and low on confidence. Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah these 3 players were making comebacks after injury, and they were given the confidence that they were a part of this team, and that the team believes in their abilities, and that they would get opportunities,” Sanjay Bangar stated.
Bangar further compared Sharma’s leadership to that of former India captain Saurav Ganguly, who played a crucial role in identifying and nurturing young talents like Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag, Zaheer Khan, and Ashish Nehra.
“When any captain says this, it’s above everything for a player. Another captain who did something similar is Saurav Ganguly, when he identified Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag, Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra. So, this is one fantastic contribution by Rohit Sharma as a captain,” Sanjay Bangar asserted.
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India’s next challenge will be their final league match against Netherlands on November 12. They will then shift their focus to the semi-finals, where they will face the fourth-placed team in the points table. With their winning streak intact, India will be eager to maintain their momentum and end their ICC trophy drought of 10 years.
