ICC World Cup 2023: Shoaib Akhtar Highlights 'MS Dhoni Factor' As He Explains Reason Behind India's Failure To Win ICC Trophies

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has explained the reason behind Team India’s failure to do well in ICC competition in recent years. The Men in Blue have not won an ICC trophy for more than a decade now.

Their last ICC trophy came in 2013 when they won the Champions Trophy under MS Dhoni’s captaincy. Team India have not won the World Cup since Dhoni led them to the title in 2011. India have done consistently well in bilateral series but have failed to replicate that performance in ICC competitions, especially in the knockout games.

In both the previous ODI World Cups, they crashed out at the semifinal stage after losing to Australia and England. In the 2014 T20 World Cup, they lost to Sri Lanka in the final before losing to West Indies in the semifinal two years later. At the 2017 Champions Trophy, India suffered a loss against Pakistan in the final. In recent years, they failed to win the T20 World Cup in 2021 and 2022.

Shoaib Akhtar on India’s failures:

India’s contrasting performances in bilateral series and ICC competitions have surprised many. And Shoaib Akhtar believes the biggest reason behind the failure is pressure. Another reason he pointed out is the absence of a captain who can soak all the pressure and let his teammates play freely. Shoaib Akhtar said that MS Dhoni was good in soaking all the pressure and letting the other players perform freely.

“First of all, it is the pressure that you all put on the team. It is almost impossible to play with such pressure. Like I told you, it is as if you can’t lose. If you, God forbid, lose, all hell will break loose,” Shoaib Akhtar told RevSportz.

“The second and more important point is you had someone who could soak in all the pressure, and protect his teammates. He would not let his teammates feel the pressure, and that was the best thing about MS Dhoni. You won the 2007 World T20 under him, the 2011 World Cup and then the 2013 Champions Trophy.

“The moment Dhoni gave up captaincy, things went south for India. When I see Rohit, I keep asking this question of myself if he should have accepted captaincy in the first place? I think Rohit feels the panic on occasions, and lets pressure get to him. The pressure of captaincy cripples you, and it happened with Virat Kohli also. That’s why you don’t win a major tournament.

“Make no mistake, Rohit does have the team to win the World Cup. As a batter, he is perhaps more talented than Virat Kohli also. He is a classical batsman and the kind of shots he plays, it is just mind-blowing. But with captaincy, is he being able to do that? Let him prove me wrong and all of us wrong, for that’s what all of India will want him to do in this World Cup,” he added.

Meanwhile, ICC World Cup 2023 is scheduled to be played from October 5 to November 19. India have a good opportunity to end their long wait for an ICC trophy. The Men in Blue will open their campaign against Australia on October 8 in Chennai.