Team India’s record in the ICC events has been quite underwhelming in the last 10 years. After MS Dhoni led the side to a Champions Trophy triumph in 2013, India have lost as many as four ICC tournament finals and bowed out in the semi-finals on numerous occasions.
With the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 around the corner, many feel that the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team has a great opportunity to end the global title drought in home conditions.
The 50-over World Cup, featuring 10 teams, got underway in India on October 5 and will run until November 19.
The Men in Blue will open their campaign against five-time champions Australia at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on Sunday (October 8).
On the eve of the match, India skipper Rohit Sharma addressed a press conference, where he referred to this World Cup as an “unfinished business” for him.
Notably, Rohit was part of the Indian team that won the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy but the 50-over World Cup is still missing in his trophy cabinet.
"Yeah, I mean look, you heard the great man say that so many times that you know, until he wins the World Cup, he's got a bit of unfinished business. I am sure you know who I'm talking about," Rohit said with an obvious reference to the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who won the World Cup in his sixth attempt.
"So, it's the same for us as well. You know, you want to win the World Cup. It's the biggest prize that you can have in your career. But again, there's a way to do it. There's a procedure that you need to follow. There's a process to it," he added.
While Rohit believes it’s good to be desperate to win the World Cup, he also highlighted the importance of finding the right balance.
"In desperation, you can do so many things that can lead to so many other things as well. So, it's good to be desperate. It's good to be hungry. But you've got to find that balance, right?
"Balance to stay desperate and stay hungry for, scoring runs, lifting the trophy, winning games, whatever that is. But there is a balance that you need to find. You cannot get way too ahead of yourself because that can lead into something that you don't really wish for."
"And then obviously we have to leave a lot of things to the Almighty as well because we need that luck, a little bit of luck in the tournament. I hope we get that luck. But yeah, it will be nice to win a World Cup."
Dealing with the pressure will be a big challenge for the Indian team in the home World Cup and Rohit acknowledged it.
"I am sure at certain stages of the tournament some players will go through pressure, the teams will go through pressure. But that is where we need characters," the Indian captain said.
"We are Indian cricketers. We are supposed to go through pressure times, pressure situations. I see a lot of strong mental characters in this squad, who have come through hardships in their career. Nothing has been given that easy to any one of them. They've gone through their tough times, they've spent their hard times in the middle, and achieved what they've achieved today," he further remarked.
