Yuvraj Singh, renowned as the Player of the Tournament during India’s triumphant 2011 World Cup campaign on home soil, believes that every member of the current team must be prepared to withstand pressure, make sacrifices, and give their all to secure victory in the upcoming 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup.
India has not secured an ICC event title for over a decade, with their last major triumph being the 2013 Champions Trophy in England. Since then, clinching an ICC title has remained elusive for Indian cricket.
However, recent trends have seen host nations winning the past three Men’s ODI World Cups. In addition to a successful Asia Cup campaign and a 2-1 series win against Australia, there is growing optimism that the Indian team may break their decade-long drought in global tournaments.
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“It has been a while since we won an ICC trophy. We reached the finals twice, including the World Test Championship in 2021 and 2023. I believe this might be the last World Cup for a few players in the team.”
“In my opinion, everyone needs to give their utmost effort, put their bodies on the line, and handle the pressure to win this World Cup. The format is unique, and once you reach the semi-finals, you will face immediate pressure in a high-stakes match. Therefore, it’s crucial to manage pressure effectively,” Yuvraj shared in an exclusive interview with IANS.
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India, the champions in 1983 and 2011, will commence their World Cup campaign against the five-time champions, Australia, on October 8 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Yuvraj also noted that formidable teams like Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and England could pose significant challenges for India in the World Cup.
“Australia has consistently been a formidable side with numerous titles to their credit. They excel in high-pressure situations. Additionally, New Zealand is a strong team, England boasts a formidable ODI record, and South Africa has been performing well too.”
Reflecting on the upcoming World Cup’s conditions, Yuvraj highlighted the importance of bowlers in influencing match outcomes. He expects spinners to play a critical role in the middle overs and anticipates that dew could be a factor during the tournament.
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“Many matches are scheduled to start in the afternoon. In India, the wickets often favor high-scoring games. With the change in weather heading into November, swing conditions might come into play during some matches, especially in the evening when dew becomes a factor.”
“Moreover, we might encounter pitches where spin bowling becomes crucial. I firmly believe that in this World Cup, bowlers will be the game-changers. We have a strong bowling lineup capable of taking all ten wickets. Bowlers will be the key to winning most matches.”
Due to changes in regulations, including the introduction of two new balls right after the 2011 World Cup and the requirement for five fielders inside the 30-yard circle during the 11-40 overs phase, India no longer relies on part-time bowlers.
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None of the top six Indian batters regularly contribute with the ball, a contrast to the 2011 squad where Yuvraj himself bowled 75 overs, claimed 15 wickets, and scored 362 runs—a memorable all-round performance on home turf.
“Rules have evolved, and now we have five fielders inside the circle. This makes it challenging for part-time bowlers to operate during the middle overs. In this format, you need five dedicated bowlers.”
“This is why part-time spinners are not as relevant anymore. If these rules were in place during our 2011 World Cup campaign, it would have been quite a struggle for us to bowl,” Yuvraj explained, underscoring the diminishing role of part-time bowlers in ODIs.
Yuvraj, who retired from international cricket in 2019, concluded by emphasizing his involvement with Vicks, which recently launched a World Cup anthem in the national capital. He expressed the initiative’s primary objective: uniting the entire nation in support of the Indian team for the forthcoming World Cup.
“It doesn’t matter which ethnicity you belong to; when it comes to such a significant event, the entire country comes together in support of the team. It creates a remarkable campaign and also underscores our shared humanity, conveying the message that ‘we are here for you and will cheer for you every step of the way.'”
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