The first part of India’s consistent journeys in ICC tournaments is on full display in the current World Cup. Semifinalists in the 2015 and 2019 editions, the Men in Blue are well on course to be a part of the last-four stage again. The triumphs against Australia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh reveal a squad primed to deliver.
It is another matter, though, that winning ICC silverware has remained a mirage since 2013. Often the ecstasy generated in the initial stages culminates in agony following a defeat in the knockout phase. The latest joust against Bangladesh at Pune on Thursday revealed the tropes that India has mastered in this World Cup. The batting unit fired even if Shreyas Iyer played a poor shot.
Additionally, India choked the rivals in the middle overs. When Sunil Gavaskar’s men won the 1985 World Championship of Cricket in Australia, it was a campaign mounted on bundling out the opposition in every game while Pakistan proved to be an exception in the final, mustering 176 for nine! The latest outfit too believes in restricting opposition batters.
