Former New Zealand cricketer-turned-commentator Simon Doull is quite outspoken in nature. He never shies away from speaking his mind and his opinions often spark an outrage on social media.
With the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 around the corner, Doull recently weighed in on host India’s chances in the quadrennial event.
Sharing his two cents, the ex-Kiwi pacer didn’t filter his words as he said Indian batters play “stats-driven cricket” and hesitate to take risks.
“Fearless cricket is their issue,” Doull told Sky Sports. “They don’t play fearless cricket enough.”
“They play statistics driven cricket and they are too worried about their stats too often. And to me that is the one area I am concerned about their batting side,” he said.
According to Simon Doull, India’s inability to play fearless cricket has let them down in the ICC events lately.
“They have got all the talent and some of the best players if not the best players in the world.
“But it is about playing the fearless cricket at the right time of the tournament and I think that is what had really let them down in the last few World Cups.
“They don’t go out there and and take risks because they are so worried about what might be said or what might be printed or what might someone ask them about their place in the team. That’s the one area I am concerned with.”
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 and also suffered a crushing 209-run defeat at the hands of Australia in the WTC 2023 final at The Oval.
The Men in Blue will open their 2023 ODI World Cup campaign against five-time champions Australia in Chennai on October 8.
