It's been a decade since Team India last won an ICC tournament. After MS Dhoni led the side to a Champions Trophy triumph in 2013, India have lost as many as four ICC event finals and bowed out in the semi-finals on numerous occasions.
While Virat Kohli took the team to great heights in Test cricket, he failed to clinch an ICC trophy. The same has been the case with current skipper Rohit Sharma, under whom the team lost the T20 World Cup semi-final to England last year. Last month, the Rohit-led side also suffered a crushing 209-run defeat at the hands of Australia in the WTC final at The Oval.
Despite the success in bilateral series, the search for the elusive ICC title goes on. Many believe that the team is missing the astute leadership of Dhoni but former cricketer Mohammed Kaif has questioned the school of thought, citing that Rohit is capable of taking India to title victories.
“Dhoni has done well. I believe the likes of Rohit Sharma and all these guys are good captains. You have Rahul Dravid as a coach, what else do you want?” Kaif told DD India in their show ‘Virtual Encounters’.
“Ya, you miss Dhoni because he has done so well in ICC events but I think someone like Rohit Sharma can take the team forward. He has got the players and the team to win ICC events.”
According to Kaif, India made mistakes in their team selection in ICC events that led to their downfall while also adding that Dhoni wouldn't make those mistakes.
"They have made mistakes, you went to Australia, you picked Ashwin ahead of Chahal. Chahal was in your scheme of things in T20Is. You dropped Chahal and picked Ashwin. So you have been making all these basic mistakes.
“That's why you talk about MS Dhoni because he knows who to play in the first XI. The major strength of Dhoni is backing his players. I think that's what the Indian team is probably missing right now,” Kaif opined.
While the Indian team is considered one of the favourites for the ODI World Cup at home later this year, it remains to be seen whether Rohit and his men manage to end the ICC trophy drought or not.
