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Tom Moody reveals how India ‘sabotaged their hopes’ of winning 2019 ICC World Cup

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | Byhindustantimes.com
Jul 11, 2020 08:05 AM IST

In the 2019 ICC World Cup when Virat Kohli’s team were the outright favourites, India failed to get past the semi-final hurdle.

When India won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013, many believed it was just the beginning of a phase of complete domination of global events by the ‘Men in Blue’. MS Dhoni had become the only captain to win all three major ICC trophies and India had the talent and team to keep winning at the big stage. They qualified for the 2014 ICC WT20 but lost in the final. They weren’t the favourites to retain their title at the 2015 ICC World Cup, but had a great run in the tournament which ended in defeat in the semi-finals.

India were favourites to win the 2016 WT20 at home but lost in the semis again and saw a dominant run in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy end in a disastrous loss in the final. The trend repeated itself in the 2019 ICC World Cup when Virat Kohli’s team were the outright favourites, but failed to get past the semi-final hurdle.

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India’s failure to win key knock-out games in ICC tournaments has generated a lot of debate and several cricket pundits and former players have spoken on the issue. The latest to express his views on the same is former Australia all-rounder and reputed cricket coach Tom Moody.

Moody explained how India sabotaged their own chances of winning in England last year, during a chat with eminent cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle on Cricbuzz.

“One of the huge challenges India has to face, whether they like it or not, is the expectation on their talent. There is no question that India has got more talent by a long stretch than any country. But sometimes that can be a burden.

“Not just the expectation but when you have got too many players to choose from, it can cloud your thinking and your philosophy on how you feel you need to play to win a particular tournament,” Moody said when asked to speak about the issue that India has been facing in ICC tournaments.

While India were in great form leading up to the tournament, the confusion surrounding the number 4 slot and a few debatable selection calls left the balance of the team disturbed. Moody threw light on what he thought was the problem.

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“The best example was the campaign in England (ICC World Cup 2019). When it seemed that India, twelve months out, were ready to play that tournament. But in the next twelve months in the actual lead up to the tournament, did their very best to sabotage their hopes of winning the tournament.

“By changing batting orders, by changing personnel within the batting order, creating uncertainty among the whole playing group. When you come into major tournaments that’s when you crystalise people’s thinking and thoughts and not be influenced by the white noise. What the media might be talking about, because you know exactly what path you are on. What exactly you need to be doing. You just need to remain consistent with that because players also sense the uncertainty when those things are happening,” the IPL-winning coach concluded.

Both Indian captain Virat Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri have said that their biggest goal is to win an ICC tournament and India will eye the T20 World Cup, whenever it is held.

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