India’s performance in the ongoing World Cup has been phenomenal, to say the least. The Men in Blue stayed unbeaten in the league stage, beating all their nine opponents comprehensively.

The Rohit Sharma-led side will now face New Zealand in the first semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on November 15.

Ahead of the all-important knockout fixture, India’s first individual Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra offered his perspective to the Indian cricket team on handling pressure.

Taking to social media platform X, Bindra suggested the Indian cricketers to stay in the present moment and follow their routines.

“As the boys in blue gear up for the semi-final, here's my two cents on handling pressure - though not that they need any lessons on pressure, given their amazing performances so far. Remember, the present moment is like a perfect shot - it's all you've got. Stay in it. Your routine is your ritual - it's what turns pressure into performance. Stick to it, but don’t be afraid to throw in a googly and adapt when the situation demands,” Bindra wrote.

“Crisis? That's just another word for 'I'm about to make history'. So when the going gets tough, the tough don’t just get going, they dig deep and build a skyscraper right there,” he added.

“Lastly, pressure is like your shadow in the afternoon sun - it might look big, but it's not heavier than a cricket ball. Don't run from it. Embrace it, high-five it, and you'll learn to dance with it on the pitch. So go ahead, knock it out of the park, but remember, if you find yourself in a sticky wicket, there's nothing that a deep breath and a calm head can't fix,” he concluded.

Notably, India haven’t won an ICC tournament for the last 10 years. After the Champions Trophy triumph in 2013, the team has lost as many as four ICC event finals and bowed out in the semi-finals on numerous occasions.

It will be interesting to see whether Rohit Sharma’s men will be able to end the global trophy drought or not.