World Cup 2023: Can India shake its reputation as a choker in major cricket competitions?

 World Cup 2023: Can India shake its reputation as a choker in major cricket competitions?

Although India are heavy favorites to win the 2017 ODI World Cup, the label of "chokers" hangs menacingly over them.

Between 1995 and 2015, this derogatory term was frequently used to describe incredibly talented South African cricket teams because they would frequently falter at the last hurdle and fail to win any significant trophy. Since winning the 2013 Champions Trophy, it has moved to the Indian cricket team, which has performed poorly in all significant multi-nation International Cricket Council (ICC) competitions.

India had already won the ODI World Cup two years prior, and four years prior, in MS Dhoni's first assignment as captain, India had won the first T20 World Cup despite lacking any major players.

This hat-trick of victories elevated Dhoni to cult status and revealed the breadth and depth of Indian cricket talent.

With players emerging from every corner of the nation as a result of the IPL's (which began in 2008) exponential growth in popularity and income, India's ascent up the cricketing food chain appeared unstoppable.

That has indeed been the case in many instances.

The world's best performing team, India has long topped the ICC rankings across all forms. India is not just the most powerful cricketing nation today, bringing in about 70% of "eyeballs," which translates into roughly 70% of worldwide revenue.

India is once again one of the best sides in Tests, ODIs, and T20s going into the 2023 World Cup.

Despite all of its flaws, the Indian cricket system has been effective in offering top-notch facilities, creating chances for competitive matches, and giving significant financial rewards for players at every age group.

India currently has the largest talent pool in the world, and players compete fiercely to make the Indian team, which has consistently increased performance levels.

While all of this has strengthened Indian cricket, the country's prolonged failure to prevail in multi-team competitions continues to frustrate fans. Ironically, India has been favorites to win practically every ICC tournament since 2013 across all formats, only to lose in the semifinals or championship.

What causes this alarming pattern?

Is it a flawed selection process, poorly thought out planning, an excessive number of captain and coach changes, ineffective player workload management, or just plain bad luck?

Each of these will have played some part in how the squad performed. However, it would be fair to claim that the core of the issue rests elsewhere given that India advanced to the knockout stage in the majority of competitions.

Major cricket tournament success depends on more than just raw talent; it also depends on how quickly players adapt to various pitches and playing conditions, how cleverly the team management prepares for various opponents, and, most importantly, how players, both individually and collectively, handle challenging circumstances that may arise on and off the field.

How well does the Indian squad perform under pressure, to put the last sentence more directly?

With 1.4 billion spectators expecting nothing less than victory in every match, this expectation can cause even the finest players to lose their composure, lose focus, or, as appears more likely, lose their cool under pressure.

Unlike in individual games, which the onus is on the player to handle pressure, the condition gets more complex in team sports where every player encompasses to do his bit to near perfection in order to contribute to a collective winning thrust, or for certain teammates to make up (swiftly) for those who are having a bad day, according to Ravi Shastri, past India captain and head coach.

One poor decision or even a small period of awful play may derail a whole game, he claims.

Both the defeat to New Zealand in the 2019 semi-final, where three wickets, including those of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, were lost in the first few overs, and the exclusion of R Ashwin from the starting lineup for the Australia-Australia World Test Championship final this year serve to support Shastri's theory.

"They (players) need to stay smart, have guts, and not be mentally cold-blooded. At this level, even a little mistake or momentary break in focus might lead to your demise, according to Shastri.

Does India have the resources necessary to prevail this time?

Certainly in terms of the team's talent, experience, and balance. India appeared to be a team that was still uneasy and plagued by serious concerns prior to the Asia Cup.

Would Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer be totally recovered from their injuries and in top shape? Given that the squad already boasted two left-arm spinners in R Jadeja and Axar Patel, was calling Kuldep Yadav back from the wilderness a planned decision or a reckless punt? Would putting unnecessary pressure on both KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan by making the wicket-keeper position a toss-up between them both?

But as the Indian team sprinted to a title win, any reservations were dispelled.

As the last three World Cups have shown, playing at home is a huge advantage as well, though it is not a guarantee of winning the championship. In 1992, Australia was unable to advance past the group stage. Even when playing at home in 1987 and 1996, India was eliminated in the semifinals both times.

In conclusion, there is no pattern or easy procedure to turn a group of players into a successful team. Apart from talent, it's important for players to build strong interpersonal chemistry, select the proper playing XI, discover inspiration that consistently fuels ambition, and be able to handle intense pressure.

The cricket world is captivated by how the Indian team handles the several hurdles it will face over the course of the next seven or eight games. This time, will it be the Champions or the Chokers?