CT 2017: Kumar Sangakkara backs India to defend title this year

Former Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara has backed the team India to do well in the upcoming edition of the Champions Trophy. Sangakkara has noted that the Indian camp is well equipped to defend the title. In the 2013 edition of the tournament, it was the Indian team under MS Dhoni that had beaten England in the finals of the tournament to lift the coveted trophy.

This time around, they are under the leadership of Virat Kohli. Kumar Sangakkara noted that there are 4 Asian teams in the tournament and team India looks the strongest out of the lot. He went on to concede that the current Indian squad is stronger than the one that played in the previous edition. Also, the fact that their skipper Virat had a disappointing IPL will only add to his hunger in the tournament.

“This year we have four Asian teams in the tournament and clearly India is current the pack-leaders in the region. It won in 2013 and it has a team capable of winning this year too,” quoted Kumar Sangakkara as per the quotes in Deccan Herald.

“In fact, the team is arguably stronger, better balanced with real firepower in its fast bowling. Its spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are exceptional in ODI cricket and I am sure Virat Kohli is going to be desperate to bounce back after a disappointing IPL,” he added further.

Semi-finalists

Picking his four semi-finalists for the tournament, Sangakkara surprisingly omitted his nation Sri Lanka from the list. He tipped India, England, Australia, and South Africa to be the ones making it to the knockout stages of the tournament.

“The only slight concern I have for India is that its selection was perhaps a little conservative, but it is still very strong. I think picking finalists is too tough, but my favourites for the semi-finals would be Australia, England, India and South Africa,” conceded Kumar Sangakkara.

On hosts England

Giving a word on the hosts England, the former Sri Lankan player conceded that they have evolved a great deal as a team in the last couple of years. They have been playing some serious aggressive brand of cricket which is very delightful to watch.

“England ODI team’s progress in the past two years has been a revelation. It used to trail behind other teams in terms of its strategy and approach, but now it is one of the most progressive teams. England is playing an aggressive and exciting brand of cricket and it has some world-class players driving that,” he conceded.