Since the Champions Trophy 2013 triumph, the Indian team has contested in five global events including the ODI world cups (2015 and 2019), two T20 world cups (2014 and 2016) and one Champions Trophy (2017), but they failed to win single one if them. Despite India being ranked among the top teams in ODIs and T20Is, they have been criticized for failing to win a major trophy in the past seven years. However, Pakistan bowling legend Shoaib Akhtar reckons that can’t be the only criteria to judge them.
During a recent conversation with PTI, Shoaib said, “Winning tournaments is one thing but staying at the top is another. India is still the top-ranked Test team and is almost among the top teams in the limited-overs format. So, we should not base their performance only on their showing in ICC events. Of course, they should win ICC events and they have to. This team, when the top four score, they win more often than not. But if they don’t, then it is an issue.”
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He further added, “Another thing I noticed is that you need a match-winner like Yuvraj (Singh) or (MS) Dhoni in the middle-order. When we toured India in 1998, we always thought we would run through India after getting the top order. There was no match-winner until Yuvraj came in, followed by Dhoni. Then you started seeing a change in results. Right now, the problem is the lack of finishers.”
Sporting events across the globe have either been suspended or canceled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and Akhtar feels cricket won’t be back at least for a year or so and that includes India’s tour of Australia later in 2020. He reckons that should the tour go ahead, India will have to prove themselves again.
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The bowling legend said, “Despite the loss in New Zealand, I think India is a very, very good team and can give a tough time to Australia. But again, India has to prove that like they did the last time. However, I don’t see that series happening. My assessment is there won’t be any cricket for the next year. The T20 World Cup is not going to happen. We are dealing with a pandemic at the moment. Any industry, which requires crowd gathering, is going to suffer.”
