Sourav Ganguly feels India will continue their dominance against Pakistan in ICC events

The Board of Control for Cricket in India finally announced their squad for the Champions Trophy yesterday after prevailing tension between BCCI and ICC. The squad was loaded with experience and the proven match winners were selected ahead of the young guns who have been performing very well in the ongoing Indian Premier League.

Shikhar Dhawan who was not in the best of rhythms coming into IPL has regained his lost touch and is currently 2nd in the orange cap list. It was the Champions Trophy in 2013 where Dhawan announced his arrival with some terrific performances and was adjudged the Player of the series. Young guns like Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Rahul Tripathi who has looked a class apart in IPL was overlooked.

India start of their Champions Trophy campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on June 4 at Edgbaston and former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly feels India will continue their dominance over Pakistan in ICC tournaments. “India will beat Pakistan again in Champions Trophy,” Ganguly was quoted as saying by India Today.

“In the last 8 to 10 years there has been a massive difference in the quality between India and Pakistan and that has been one of the major reasons why India has continued to dominate Pakistan (in ICC events). I believe India will do it again in the Champions Trophy in Birmingham on the 4th of June”, Ganguly added. India have an 11-0 record against Pakistan in 50 overs and 20 overs World Cup but in Champions Trophy Pakistan have the slightly better record with a 2-1 win-loss ratio.

Ganguly feels that it has been the quality of Team India since the year 2005 which has made them rise above Pakistan on almost all occasions. “In early part of the 90s and even in early 2000s, it is just that India played better than Pakistan in world tournaments because there was not much difference between the two sides as the Pakistan team was a fantastic unit then with the likes of Wasim (Akram), Waqar (Younis), Inzamam (ul-Haq), Saeed Anwar, Javed Miandad and Salim Malik. But 2005 onward the Pakistan team has not been the same as it used to be. They have lost to India on quality, they have lost to India on ability and somehow India has reacted to big match pressure much better than Pakistan.

The technique and quality of Indian players have been better than Pakistan. You see Pakistan there is rare brilliance but every time they have been under pressure they have tried to fight or hit their way out of pressure which has not worked for them. But every time you see India under pressure, they are a team which would seem have soaked in the pressure. They have batted and played difficult situations well and then have dominated during the course of a cricket match. But with Pakistan, every time they have been put under pressure by India with the ball or with the bat, they have tried to hit their way out and have not been successful”, quipped Ganguly who led India to many memorable victories during his illustrious captaincy career.

The legendary captain feels the team selected is the best available team and apart from missing the services of KL Rahul, India will be in good stead going into the tournament. With this team, Ganguly feels India can defend their title.

“I think this is the best possible side at the moment and every player selects himself. Selectors did not have to pick or scratch or push one of the players to fill the 15 member squad. They will miss KL Rahul for sure and I think KL Rahul has been a wonderful player for India for the past two years but I think this is the best possible squad that is going to England and they have all the capacity and capability to defend their title”, Ganguly signed off.