ICC World Cup 2023: Shoaib Akhtar Discusses the ‘MS Dhoni Factor’ and the Reasons Why India Has Failed To Win ICC Trophies. Shoaib Akhtar, a former Pakistani bowler, has provided an explanation for why Team India has struggled in recent ICC competitions. Since more than a decade ago, the Men in Blue have not claimed an ICC title.
When they won the Champions title in 2013 with MS Dhoni serving as captain, it was their final ICC title. Since Dhoni led Team India to the championship in 2011, they have not triumphed at the World Cup. India has typically performed well in bilateral series, but they have not been able to match that success in ICC championships, particularly in the knockout rounds.
They were eliminated in the semifinals of the two prior ODI World Cups after losing to Australia and England. They lost to Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup final in 2014 before falling to West Indies in the semifinal the following year. India lost the championship match against Pakistan at the 2017 Champions Trophy. In 2021 and 2022, they were unable to win the T20 World Cup.
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Many people were astonished by India’s divergent performances in bilateral series and ICC events. And according to Shoaib Akhtar, pressure is the main cause of the failure. The lack of a captain who can handle all the pressure while allowing his players to play freely is another factor he cited. Shoaib Akhtar claimed that MS Dhoni was adept at handling the pressure while allowing the other players to express themselves freely.
“First and foremost, the pressure you all put on the squad is to blame. Playing under such strain is practically impossible. It’s as if you can’t lose, as I already informed you. Shoaib Akhtar warned RevSportz, “All hell will burst loose if you, God forbid, lose.
“The second, more crucial issue is that you have a partner who could handle all the pressure and defend them. The best part about MS Dhoni was that he would not let his teammates feel the strain. He guided you to victory in the 2007 World T20, the 2011 World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy.
“There is no doubt that Rohit has the team to win the World Cup. He may be a better batter than Virat Kohli as well. He is a traditional batsman, and the shots he makes are just incredible. But is he capable of doing that while serving as captain? Let him win the World Cup and disprove me and us all, because that’s what all of India will want him to achieve,” he continued.
