Indian cricket team captain, Rohit, is optimistic about his team’s ability to handle the pressure of playing on home turf and secure their third World Cup victory, following their triumphs in 1983 and 2011.
India’s History in the Cricket World Cup
The 2023 Cricket World Cup marks the 13th edition of the prestigious tournament. India has the honor of being the sole host this time around, having previously co-hosted the event in 1987, 1996, and 2011.
India’s journey in the World Cup has been a rollercoaster ride. In 1987, they reached the semi-finals only to be defeated by England. The 1996 edition ended in disappointment at Eden Gardens, with the team failing to overcome Sri Lanka in the semi-finals. However, the stars aligned for India in 2011, leading them to their second World Cup victory.
Rohit’s Excitement and Confidence Ahead of the Tournament
During the ICC Captains’ call on the eve of the World Cup, Rohit expressed his excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to lead the team in this event. He acknowledged the pressure that comes with such a high-stakes tournament but emphasized the importance of focusing on the task at hand.
Rohit stated, “I’m very grateful to be leading this team into this World Cup. All these guys are quite used to going through that pressure, whether it’s playing in India or away from India. As long as you play the sport, the pressure is always going to be there. But I’m sure, we prepared really well and as long as you prepare really well, that gives you a lot of confidence going into any game.”
Host Nations’ Success in Recent World Cups
The last three editions of the Cricket World Cup have seen the host nations – India (2011), Australia (2015), and England (2019) – emerge as champions. However, Rohit is not overly concerned with this trend. He stated, “Not thinking too much about it. Honestly, (while) it has happened in the last three editions of the World Cup, but all I can say is we’re going to try our best, give it our best and enjoy the tournament.”
India’s Approach to the Long Tournament
Rohit emphasized the importance of not getting ahead of themselves given the length of the tournament. He stressed the need to focus on one match at a time. “That’s all I can say at this point in time. Because you know it’s a pretty long tournament and I do understand that you can’t get too far ahead of yourself. So it’s important for us that we try and focus on one job at a time and then move on,” he added.
India’s Warm-Up Matches and Opening Encounter
India’s warm-up matches leading into the Cricket World Cup were unfortunately washed out. They are set to play their opening match against Australia on 8 October in Chennai.