‘I think India is due’ Ravi Shastri on India’s 2023 World Cup chances
Former Indian coach Ravi Shastri said it takes time to win the World Cup and India is due one. He also took the examples of Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and Argentina Footballing legend Lionel Messi and said it took a long time for them to win the illusive trophy.
Speaking to SportsYaari, Shastri said, “I think India is due. They have been consent – they reached finals, and semi-finals on a regular basis. Look at Sachin Tendulkar. He had to play six World Cups to win one ICC trophy. 6 World Cups mean 24 years. And in his last World Cup, he won.
“Look at Lionel Messi. A classic example is. I mean how long he has been playing? And when he started winning, he won Copa America, and the World Cup and scored in the final as well. So you have to wait. It will rain,” he added.
The Argentina superstar won his first World Cup in Qatar in December last year whereas Tendulkar won the World Cup in 2011 held in India. The World Cup will be hosted in India after 12 years.
Shastri as the coach along with Virat Kohli as captain led India to the semifinal of the 2019 World Cup. However, in a close game, the side came second best against eventual runner-up New Zealand.
The duo also reached the WTC final in 2021 and once again could not get past the Williamson-led Kiwis side to lift the mace. India under the Rahul Dravid-Rohit Sharma combination would like to end the 10-year trophy drought this year in the 50-over World Cup. The men in Blue won the last trophy in 2013. Mahendra Singh Dhoni led the side to an ICC Champions Trophy victory.
