I see India winning a World Cup soon: Ravi Shastri

Former team India head coach Ravi Shastri expects the national team to lift a World Cup soon. Notably, the Rohit Sharma-led side played some brilliant cricket in the ODI World Cup 2023 but a batting failure on the night of the finals cost them the coveted trophy. Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne built a sensational 192-run partnership as Australia won the match by six wickets.

The players were devastated following the loss as Mohammed Siraj, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were spotted shedding tears. However, Shastri motivated the Men in Blue after the loss and stated that a World Cup trophy is just around the corner if the players keep playing with the same intent. He also cited the example of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar and how he won a World Cup on his sixth attempt. 

“It was heartbreaking but a lot of our guys will learn, the game moves on, and I see India winning a World Cup very soon. It might not be a 50-overs (one) that easily because you have to rebuild the side but 20-overs cricket, the very next one India will be very serious challenger because you have got the nucleus. This is a shorter format of the game. Your focus should be on that."

“To be honest, it still hurts from the outside, that we could not win the cup because we were the strongest team. Nothing comes easy -- even the great man Sachin Tendulkar had to wait (for) six World Cups to win one. You don't win (a) World Cup (easily), to win a World Cup you have got to be damn good on that big day," Shastri was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

Meanwhile, the Indian team have already started their preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup, which is slated to take place in June 2024. It is still unclear whether the senior players in the form of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will participate in the marquee tournament but a decision will soon be taken to build the core unit.