Team India will enter the ICC Cricket World Cup as one of favourites being the hosts, however, apart from the expectations of the home fans, there will be pressure in the back of mind given the Men in Blue haven’t won an ICC event in the last decade. The Indian team has gotten close on a few occasions having qualified for the final in the 2014 T20 World Cup, and Champions Trophy 2017 and a semi-final finish in the 2015 World Cup, 2016 T20 World Cup, 2019 World Cup and 2022 T20 World Cup but the trophy has continued to elude the Men in Blue.
With this World Cup likely to be the last for a few seniors including skipper Rohit Sharma, there is real hope and wish from every corner for the Indian team to go all the way this time. Apart from Rohit, another player who will be at the forefront of the Indian campaign will be the former captain Virat Kohli, who is looking for his first ICC trophy since the retirement of legendary skipper MS Dhoni.
At an event in Bengaluru, Kohli got talking and didn’t deny the amount of expectations and the pressure of winning the World Cup. However, Kohli also admitted that no one more than players want to win the trophy.
“The pressure is always there. The fans always say we want (the team) to win a cup very badly. I’d like to say not more than me. So, I’m in the right place. Honestly, I know the expectations are there and the emotions of the people are there. But please know that no one wants to win more than players,” Kohli said.
Kohli is currently in Bengaluru with the rest of the Indian contingent as part of the preparatory camp for the Asia Cup. The Indian batting maestro, who recently completed 15 years in international cricket, will be key to his team’s chances in the Asia Cup and then the World Cup and said that the hunger for getting in a dog fight, getting challenged, and facing a difficulty still excites him to keep going.
“Any challenge in front of you, you look forward to it. When difficulty comes in front of you get excited. You don’t shy away from it. After 15 years I still like encounters, and the World Cup 2023 is one (challenge). It excites me, I need something new to, you know, propel me to another level,” Kohli further added.
India will begin their Asia Cup 2023 campaign against Pakistan on Saturday, September 2.
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