ICC World Cup 2023: Curtly Ambrose Feels India Need To Cope With Pressure To End ICC Trophy Drought

Former West Indies fast bowler Sir Curtly Ambrose reckons that India have a chance to end their ICC Trophy drought in the upcoming ODI World Cup at home. However, Curtly Ambrose highlighted that the Rohit Sharma-led team will be under pressure as hosts of the marquee tournament.

The Men in Blue have failed to win an ICC title over the past decade, despite coming close on a few occasions. India last won a major trophy in the 2013 Champions Trophy. They have reached the finals and semifinals in both white-ball and red-ball tournaments, but have failed to secure the title.

There Will Be Pressure For India – Curtly Ambrose

“You surely have a chance. But there are other good teams as well. Australia, England and Pakistan are some of them. The question is how well Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid handle pressure,” Ambrose told RevSportz.

“At home, there will be pressure for India. There will be huge crowds in the stadiums. The media will be following every story. There will be a huge build-up to the event,” he added.

India will host the entire ICC ODI World Cup for the first time in history. They co-hosted the 1987 World Cup and the 2011 World Cup. The hosts emerged as winners in the 2011 edition under the leadership of the legendary wicketkeeper-batter MS Dhoni.

India Will Need To Play Their Best – Curtly Ambrose

Curtly Ambrose emphasized that India’s winning chances in the World Cup would be defined by how well they manage the pressure. He said that India would need to bring their best to win the tournament at home.

“How well you handle the pressure could define your campaign. If you handle it well and seek the positives out of it, there is reason to believe India will do well in the World Cup,” Ambrose further added.

Rohit Sharma is a good captain and we have seen that over the years, so there is every reason for you to be hopeful. It will not be easy, however. Winning a World Cup can never be easy, and India will need to play their best to do so,” he concluded.

Rohit Sharma captained the Indian team in the T20 World Cup 2022 and the World Test Championship (WTC) final 2023. However, Rohit failed to guide the team to the finish line.

Also read: ICC World Cup 2023: “Virat Kohli Can Make A Telling Difference For India In The World Cup” – Curtly Ambrose