Updated June 2nd, 2023 at 08:42 IST

'It has to be the mindset': Aussie legend' s massive remark on India's ICC Trophy drought

India and Australia lock horns in the WTC 2023 Final that will be played at the Oval. India won their last ICC trophy in 2013 under the leadership of MS Dhoni

Reported by: Saksham Nagar
Image: BCCI | Image:self
Advertisement

The Indian cricket team under Rohit Sharma will be aiming to end their ten-year drought for an ICC trophy when they take on Australia in the World Test Championship Final in 2023. The match is all set to be played at the Kennington Oval ground in London starting from June 7, 2023, and will go on till June 11, 2023, if there is play on all five days of the marquee Test match.

The Indian team has fallen short of victories when it has come to the knockout of the ICC tournaments lately and they will try to break the jinx in the WTC 2023 final. However former Australia batsman Matthew Hayden has explained the reason behind Team India's drought of ICC trophies in the last ten years. 

'It's certainly not a question of skill': Matthew Hayden

Matthew Hayden believes that Team India's winless run in the ICC events is more of a 'mindset' issue rather than a question of skill. "It's certainly not a question of skill. So, it has to be a question of just the opportunity and the mindset going in. I mean, cricket is life here, it is the DNA of sport and has no other competitors. In Australia I could walk down the street and largely be unrecognised, especially with this terrible beard and hat on (laughs). But it's also got great competitive sports besides cricket. Rugby, football, our watersports, surfing, outdoor sports, here in India it's very insular and there's a lot of pressure", Hayden said as per PTI. 

READ: 'Real Madrid in Tests, Chelsea in T20Is': Reactions pour in on Team India's Adidas jersey

Returning to the World Test Championship 2023 final, the Indian team have been in good form in their recent outing in Test cricket and have also beaten Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, when they faced them the last time in the month of March this year. 

READ: 'They are good choices': Australia wary of India's spin challenge ahead of WTC 2023 Final

Batsmen like Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Cheteshwar Pujara have looked in good knick off late and will wish to continue the same in the WTC 2023 final. Team India also has a well-settled bowling attack consisting of Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja

On a pacer-friendly Oval pitch where Shami and Siraj will have the responsibility to take early wickets, the spin duo of Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin will also hope to rattle the Aussie batting lineup, the way they did in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. 

Advertisement

Published June 2nd, 2023 at 08:42 IST