‘They have underachieved in white-ball cricket…’: Michael Vaughan warns Team India ahead of 2023 World Cup

India haven't won an ICC title since Champions Trophy 2013.

By Salman Anjum - 20 Mar, 2023

Indian cricket team has moved close to the ICC titles since Champions Trophy 2013 triumph, but they couldn't get one for a long time. In 2014, India lost the T20 World Cup final, the ODI World Cup 2015 saw an exit in semi-finals and same in T20 World Cup 2016, the ODI World Cup 2019 and the T20 World Cup 2022.

The Men in Blue were also defeated by Pakistan and New Zealand in the Champions Trophy and World Test Championship finals in 2017 and 2021, respectively.

With less than 10 months to go for the ICC Cricket World Cup in India, former England skipper Michael Vaughan has said that while he considers India one of the favourites to win the showpiece event, they have to be more aggressive with the bat.

"I mean you will say India are favourites (for the World Cup) because it's obviously in India's backyard. But they got to be more aggressive with the bat, they got to be more aggressive with the ball. Recently they have been a bit more aggressive in their approach. They need to continue that style of cricket," said Vaughan on Khaleej Times.

Team India were on a winning spree of eight successive ODIs but it come to an end rather dramatically on Sunday (March 19) as they suffered a 10-wicket thrashing at the hands of Australia.

Left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc ran through the Indian batting line-up, returning with a five-wicket haul (5/53) to bundle out the hosts for a paltry 117 in 26 overs.

In reply, the visitors rode on blazing knocks from Mitchell Marsh (66* off 36) and Travis Head (51* off 30) to overhaul the target in just 11 overs.

“India, for the talent pool that they have, the resources that they have, they have underachieved in white-ball cricket for too many years. There is no way that India's white-ball group should not be winning the World Cups. They should be because they have got the talent pool to do so. I think in this World Cup a lot will depend on whether they are going to be brave enough to play the right style under pressure in front of huge crowds at home,” said Vaughan.

Michael Vaughan considers defending champions England as firm favourites to lift the World Cup later this year.

“I have to say that England are the favourites even if it's in conditions that you know is little bit different to what it was in 2019 when they won the World Cup (in England). They (England) have got good spin options. They have got good players who play spin nicely. They have got good variations with the seam bowlers, Jofra Archer coming back (from injury) is huge. And Mark Wood is bowling at 90 miles per hour. So I think England have got the experience, but India will be a threat. If they can commit to an aggressive style, India are going to be a formidable force in home conditions,” he said.

By Salman Anjum - 20 Mar, 2023

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