Source: PTI
When it comes to the ICC competitions, Indian cricketers, particularly the big guns, are expected to produce. Sometimes it pays off, and other times it’s a flop that every fan and player would rather forget. It’s reasonable to assume that the country has seen its fair share of major players falter in crucial events and situations.
Consider the amazing 1983 World Cup campaign. The country’s most distinguished batter, Sunil Gavaskar, was expected to be the Messiah. Unfortunately, he did little to help the team put up good numbers. Instead, it was India’s bowlers who ensured the country’s first silverware.
The cycle persisted for the next decade, with some renowned names falling short in crunch time. This section looks at several prominent Indian cricketers who have failed in crucial moments of a game.
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1. ICC 2003 World Cup – Sachin Tendulkar
India lost Sachin Tendulkar in the first over of what should have been a massive score to chase against Australia in the World Cup final in Johannesburg. He got off to a good start with a boundary, only to be denied by Glenn McGrath’s shorter length ball. He skied it to short-midwicket, where the bowler made an easy catch.
Tendulkar’s dismissal almost signaled the end, but Virender Sehwag (82) and Rahul Dravid (47) postponed the inevitable.
After Adam Gilchrist (57), Ricky Ponting (140*), and Damien Martyn (88) ran riot early in the match, Sourav Ganguly’s men finished with 234 in their chase of 360.
2. ICC 2007 World Cup – Rahul Dravid
When Sourav Ganguly and Virender Sehwag walked out to bat against Bangladesh in the ICC 2007 World Cup at Port of Spain, it was a game-changing moment for India.
The Men in Blue defeated Bermuda but were defeated by Sri Lanka. Beating Bangladesh would put them in the Super Eight.
But it all came to an end as they were bundled out for 191. All eyes were on Indian captain Rahul Dravid, who was leading the team in a major tournament, only for him to struggle with the bat, hitting 14 off 28 balls.
India ultimately lost the match and were eliminated from the tournament.
3. ICC 2011 World Cup – Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag had a solid ICC 2011 World Cup, scoring 380 runs in eight matches, including a century against Bangladesh. The swashbuckling opener batted brilliantly throughout the tournament before being caught for a duck in the Wankhede final against Sri Lanka.
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Lasith Malinga skidded the delivery in, hitting Sehwag on the pads. Despite being checked, he was found to have missed the film, necessitating the long walk back to the pavilion.
However, Gautam Gambhir’s ferocious 97 and MS Dhoni’s masterpiece 91 runs helped the squad win the World Cup for the second time.
4. ICC 2015 World Cup – Virat Kohli
The semi-finals vs Australia at the SCG were all about the hosts collecting retribution after India eliminated them in the 2011 edition’s quarterfinals. They accomplished this by defeating the visitors by a score of 95 runs.
Dhoni and Co. were off to a good start, chasing a challenging 329. Shikhar Dhawan (45) and Rohit Sharma (34) put on a 76-run opening stand, but after the latter was gone, it was up to Virat Kohli to deliver.
Fans were outraged, though, when Kohli was removed for one run off 13 balls. Mitchell Johnson’s bouncer did it for him, as he top-edged it for Brad Haddin to easily glove.
Despite significant resistance from Ajinkya Rahane (44) and MS Dhoni (65), the chase was called off.
#5 ICC 2019 World Cup – MS Dhoni
The Men in Blue had such a great run in England during the 2019 World Cup that they were considered favorites going into the semi-finals versus New Zealand. The bowlers fared well in limiting the Kiwis to 239 in Manchester.
But everything went horribly wrong during batting. KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli were all bowled for one run each, leaving the middle order with a lot of work to do. Before Dhoni (50) and Ravindra Jadeja (77) took over, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya’s 32s were rebuilt.
Jadeja had the innings of a lifetime, but the former Indian captain struggled at the other end. With his finishing abilities waning, Dhoni attempted to take the game as far as possible, only to fall short of the crease following a well-placed knock.
In the end, the team fell short by 18 runs, which meant their next chance would be in 2023.
Also Read: ICC World Cup 2023: How and when to buy tickets; see details here (cricfiles.com)
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