Sourav Ganguly, former Indian cricket team captain and former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president, believes that India has the ability to win the upcoming ODI World Cup that is set to take place in their home conditions later this year. Despite India’s lack of success in ICC tournaments since 2013, Ganguly believes that this current team has the talent and potential to bring home the trophy.
In a recent interview with Sports Tak, Ganguly advised the current Indian cricket team captain, Rohit Sharma, and head coach, Rahul Dravid, to stick with the same team that has been performing exceptionally well in recent matches, including their whitewashing of Sri Lanka and New Zealand. He stated, “India can never be a weak team. A country that has so much talent can never be a weak team. Half of the players don’t even get a chance. I would want Rahul Dravid, Rohit Sharma and the selectors to hold on to the same team till the World Cup.”
One common critique of the Indian cricket team is their tendency to play “safe” and cautious cricket in ICC tournaments. Ganguly believes that Dravid and Rohit should not worry about the outcome of the tournament and instead, play fearless and aggressive cricket. He advised, “When they reach the World Cup, they should play without any baggage. They should play fearless cricket, it doesn’t matter if they win the trophy or not.”
Ganguly also praised the talented players on the current Indian cricket team, including Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Ravindra Jadeja. He stated, “The team which has Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami… Ravindra Jadeja will come back… can never be bad.”
In addition to his commentary on the Indian cricket team, Ganguly will soon be taking on a new role as the director of cricket for the Delhi Capitals in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL). Despite the absence of regular captain Rishabh Pant, who is currently recovering from injuries sustained in a car accident, Ganguly believes that the Delhi Capitals have the firepower to make a strong push towards winning the trophy. He said, “It’s just one role from another and I am looking forward to it. When I first joined hands with Delhi Capitals in 2019, the team has done pretty well since then. We will feel the void of Rishabh Pant. He is a top Indian cricketer but he is injured, we can’t do much about it.”
Overall, Sourav Ganguly’s words carry a great deal of weight and influence in the Indian cricket world, and his confidence in the current Indian cricket team’s ability to win the ODI World Cup will undoubtedly serve as a source of inspiration and motivation for the players as they prepare for the tournament. With their strong performance in recent matches and their talented roster, India may very well have what it takes to bring home the trophy.
