Harbhajan Singh believes that India’s failure to play as a cohesive unit has been the reason behind their inability to clinch titles in recent International Cricket Council (ICC) events. The Indian team has not won a global tournament since the 2013 Champions Trophy. Their quest to end this 10-year drought will continue in the upcoming ODI World Cup, which will be hosted in India later this year.
During a conversation with News24 Sports, Harbhajan was asked about the secret to their successful campaigns in the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup, and what has been lacking since 2013. In response, he stated, “I don’t know, it’s very difficult for me to say what we had and they don’t. I believe that players who represent the country, regardless of the era they play in, have one goal in mind – to perform well and win for the nation.”
“We reached the semi-finals in 2015 and 2019, but we couldn’t secure the ICC trophy. Perhaps the ability to bounce back after absorbing pressure has only been witnessed in one or two players. To succeed in major tournaments, you need to perform as a team.”, The former Indian spinner further added.
In limited-overs formats, India has consistently reached the final or semi-final stages of numerous ICC events since 2013, but have fallen short of claiming the trophy. They have also finished as runners-up in the two editions of the World Test Championship that have been contested.
According to Harbhajan Singh, players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Hardik Pandya require support from their teammates in order for India to achieve success. He elaborated, “When you have players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Hardik Pandya, who are big stars, it is essential for the remaining eight to ten players and the team management to walk together with the same goal.”
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The cricketer-turned-commentator also mentioned that the teams he was a part of seemed to have better unity, “Small actions such as saving a single or executing a brilliant run-out, these seemingly small things can make a huge difference. When the team plays as a unit, they can achieve greater results, and that’s what our team did well. Maybe the current team is more talented than ours.”
Harbhajan concluded by expressing his hope that India will emerge victorious in the upcoming World Cup, emphasizing the need for collective teamwork instead of relying solely on a few individuals’ brilliance. He acknowledged the high expectations and pressure but reminded that players train and play for such moments.