There is no other “nicer” way to put this. Player of the tournament, highest run getter, highest wicket taker, highest run scorer as captain, 10 wins on the trot but no World Cup to show for it. This Indian team HAS to go down as the best team in Cricket World Cup history to not win it.
What was Great About this Best Team?
At the start of this World Cup, no one in their wildest dreams had imagined the brand and quality of cricket this team would play over the coming few weeks. It was breathtaking, awe-inspiring & fearless. It was every superlative you could possibly think of and more!
With batting woes in the middle order and lack of batting depth being the main concerns, India definitely did not go into the tournament as favourites.
Add to that, after putting in Australia to bat in the first game, India found themselves 3 down for almost nothing and you could hear the muttering among fans around you in the neighbourhoods, in malls, in hotels, everywhere!It felt like the end of a World Cup before it had even started.
But then, something happened. Something akin to a miracle and nothing short. Virat Kohli like always and the much talked about KL Rahul come together to stitch one of the finest partnerships in modern day one day cricket to lead India to a comfortable 6 wicket victory!
Related: The Greatest ODI Batsman- Virat Kohli
This was it. There’s no way India should have won that. It felt too good to be true and maybe that’s what was the catalyst to how they went on to play the remainder of the tournament.
A Fearless Brand of Cricket
That’s exactly what this team played. Owing to that first match setting the tone for the remainder of the tournament, India went on to play a fearless template of cricket, both with bat and ball and equally in the field.
They grew from strength to strength over the subsequent matches, notching up one win after another. Each match throwing up a new performer. Each match spewing a new hero in the face of adversity.
All this while enjoying their game on the field. A team of 15 smiling assassins. You relax for a moment and they would pounce on you, like a tiger on it’s unaware prey.
Such was the professionalism and brand they portrayed and carried out their matches with, almost like surgical operations by a military unit.
Rohit’s Leadership & Team Management in the World Cup
A highlight of this World Cup was the atmosphere that Rohit Sharma & the team management had created around the players. You could see the hunger in each and every player’s eyes.
India wanted this. They wanted it badly. They were a joyous but determined unit. There was healthty competition amongst the boys as was shown throughout in the form of the popular “fielding medal” handed out by their fielding coach Dilip after each game of cricket.
Rohit’s backing of each player and clarity of roles assigned to each member sent a calm wave through the dugout. Everyone knew what they had to do for the team. Everyone knew their strengths and how to play to it.
This team functioned like a well oiled machine, it was a grand orchestra that nailed every piece it played except for the final swan song.
This Indian team will go down as one of the great ODI World Cup teams to have not won the illustrious trophy. But that is sport. That is also life.
India can be very proud of how they played. A billion dreams might have been shattered on that day but a billion dreams were also shown the hope of a brighter, more successful tomorrow- not only in this sport but in all that they will set out to do from there on.
Like me for example, writing this blog & running a cricket channel, hoping to ignite more love for this sport that has practically shaped millions of lives including my own!
Nice article, definitely disappointed about the loss but still very exciting to see the kind of cricket we now know india is capable of playing
thanks! Yeah definitely refreshing to see the brand of cricket we played!