BCCI’s President Sourav Ganguly is sure that the Indian team can win an ICC championship soon, considering that a world tournament will be held every year from 2022 to 2031.
India hasn’t secured an ICC trophy after winning the Champions Trophy in England in 2013 under MS Dhoni. The team then went on to lose the 2014 T20 World Cup final against Sri Lanka, the 2016 T20 World Cup semi-final to West Indies, the 2017 Champions Trophy final to Pakistan, the 2015 and 2019 ODI World Cup semi-finals to New Zealand And Australia, respectively, and the inaugural WTC final to New Zealand in 2021.
India failed to reach the semi-finals of the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE, marking the first time after 2012 that the squad was knocked in the group phase of an ICC competition.
It’s very difficult to predict the future: Ganguly
Again with leadership change, India has implemented split leadership by appointing Rohit Sharma in the responsibility of white-ball squads and Virat Kohli in the responsibility of Tests – and a shift in coaching staff, Ganguly believes India’s trophy drought would stop soon.
“From 2022 to 2031, there will be a world championship every year and India will be a contender. I have always believed they can win. They had a semi-final loss in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. In 2021, they lost in the group stage itself [T20 World Cup]. But like any other Indian cricket fan, I believe India will win some of those tournaments. However, they can’t win everything,” said Sourav Ganguly.
“It’s very difficult to predict the future, but India is a great side. We have a very good coach [Rahul Dravid] and the team is in able hands with a new captain [Rohit Sharma] as well. So, we wish them all the best. Cricket is a team game. The players together with their captain and coach make it successful. And they have been successful in the last five years; I don’t see any reason why they can’t now. I wish them the best and hopefully, we can reach greater heights in the years to come,” added the BCCI President.
