Tired of reminiscing over 2011 glory, Gautam Gambhir wants India to win a World Cup 'ASAP'

Looking back at India's glory in ICC World Cup 2011, former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir remarked that it is now time to 'move forward' and add more trophies to the cabinet. The former Indian batsman, who was also India's hero in the final against Sri Lanka, has expressed the need for Team India to win the next World Cup 'ASAP' (as soon as possible). Since the victory in 2011, India has failed to clinch any ICC title, despite having reached the knockout stages in the 2015 and 2019 campaigns. 

In an interview with news agency PTI, Gautam Gambhir said, "It doesn't feel like yesterday. Not for me at least. It's been what, 10 years now? I am not a person who looks back too much. Obviously, it's a proud moment but you know what, it's time for Indian cricket to move forward. Probably, now it's time that we win the next World Cup ASAP." 

The cricketer-turned-parliamentarian also expressed that people should not go overboard about past World Cup wins because the players who competed were meant give it their best shot and they did so as their professional duty. "In 2011, we didn't do anything that we weren't meant to do. When we were picked to play the World Cup, we were supposed to win the World Cup. When we were selected, we didn't just go out there to compete, we went out there to win," said Gambhir. 

'India would have been a super power'

Commenting on India's exit from the knockout stages in the recent past, Gambhir opined that the Men in Blue would have been considered a 'super power' had they won the 2015 or 2019 World Cup. While India was knocked out by Australia in 2015, the Men in Blue faced a heartbreaking defeat against New Zealand in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, prolonging the wait for another silverware. 

"Probably, India would have been considered a superpower in world cricket if we had won the 2015 or the 2019 World Cup. It's 10 years and we haven't won another World Cup. That's why I never go too overboard with things that 'oh this is a special achievement. I simply don't understand, why people just keep going back and get that high of 1983 or 2011. Yes, it's nice to talk about it and it's ok. We won the World Cup, but it's always good to look ahead instead of looking back," Gambhir added. 

Meanwhile, the Men in Blue have their eyes set on the ICC T20 World Cup slated to be held in October later this year. The Indian team will be led by Virat Kohli for the marquee event while is set to be held in India itself. Apart from this, Australia will be hosting the T20 World Cup again in 2022 after a re-shuffle in the schedule of ICC events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the next 50-over World Cup will be held in 2023.