India is going to be a part of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 as a host and they would be eyeing the title, hoping to put an end to what has been a decade-long wait of an ICC Trophy. India’s last ICC Trophy came 10 years ago in England where they won the ICC Champions Trophy while India last won the World Cup in 2011 when they lifted the hallowed silverware in their den.
However, things are different this time and what felt like an invincible in world cricket, is now starting to show its skeleton and in occasions where utmost fearlessness is the need of the hour, the entire team is coming apart at the seams. The last 12 years have seen whenever India has been a part of the World Cup, no matter the format, things have spiraled out of control in the knockout stages.
Is there a missing element? Maybe one man who can answer this the best is Gautam Gambhir. The man who helped India win two World Cups with his very special display in the final and also a flurry of impressive showdowns throughout the tournament, Gautam Gambhir is a man made of fire but knows how to keep his nerves under utmost pressure.
Back in 2021, India resorted to MS Dhoni as their mentor for the T20 World Cup. However, things didn’t really pan out for the Men in Blue as they were being broken, beaten and scarred by Pakistan and New Zealand in the first two games.
Now with the 50-over format, India will need another mentor who can help them to stick to their guns despite the world going bonkers. Gautam Gambhir is exactly one such man. He is a man who knows how to deal with the cricket very well and he is also someone who puts things into perspective.
As a mentor he can make India rock-solid in terms of their mindset of going after the big guns and when they come cruising to the knock-out rounds, Gautam Gambhir can provide them with a key strategy to head forth.
Particularly with Round-Robin format in place where each team plays nine games before they can head to the following stages, India’s mind and heart needs to be in their right places. Someone like Gautam Gambhir, who has seen it all and has also captained Kolkata Knight Riders to two IPL titles, has deputized for Dhoni successfully enough, his expertise in the game will make him an absolute favourite for India taking him in as a mentor.
Add to this his special flair of game-reading that has made him take insane decisions during the game and this is where it all changes. With India’s recent readings of the match situations where things have gone terribly south, Gautam Gambhir brings the glimmer of hope as a mentor.
