The Pitch They Chose Was a Blunder: Sanjay Manjrekar

In the second episode of Rise of Champions, ‘Change’, India’s ICC tournaments’ journey under new guardianship of Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid is discussed at length. From the cautious play in the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup semi-final to heartbreak of the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup final, the episode explores the challenges along the way.

Australia’s World Cup winning Captain Aaron Finch said: “Change isn't always a bad thing. There’s times when even just a fresh voice, whether it’s captain or coach, can be a really beneficial ingredient for the rest of the group.”

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar shared his perspective: “One advantage I looked forward to was Rohit picking a more predictable playing eleven, like Mahendra Singh Dhoni did. Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri had an unbelievable knack of surprising you with the playing XI in almost every game.”

Going into the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup with a new guard, former England skipper Eoin Morgan, said: “Anytime India comes to a World Cup, the level of expectation is always there to win it. The India vs England semi-final was painted to be an absolute spectacle of a game. What unfolded, about ten overs into India’s batting, I remember turning to Sunil Gavaskar in the commentary box and asking where this bravery, this courage, this fearless style of play that India had played with in the tournament under Rohit Sharma recently, where’d it gone?”

Australia’s World Cup winning Captain Aaron Finch said fear of losing held back India in the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup semi-final: “India was so scared of losing that semi-final that they did not allow themselves to play freely. You are disappointed when you are knocked out. But after the dust settles, you plan backwards. You put things in place, set small markers, and agree on where you should be at each stage. Then you just keep ticking those off as you go.”

As the journey moved to the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup, former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar acknowledged Rohit Sharma’s leadership as vital to India’s rollicking start: “India got off to flying starts with Rohit Sharma scoring most of the runs. He set an example for others to play in that way and keep the scoreboard moving.”

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar explained the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup final miscalculations: “I was very proud of that Indian team that played in the 2023 ODI World Cup because it looked like the best team in the world. India, with Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid, tried to control things off the field a little too much. The pitch they chose was a blunder. We saw that batters like Suryakumar Yadav are not the same when the pace is taken off on a slow pitch.”

former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh, said the weight of the final caused India to lose focus: “I think that was the pressure of playing a big final. The expectation to win shifted their focus. Their focus drifted, and that is why we fell behind in that match.”

former Australian Cricketer Matthew Hayden, called India’s 2023 ICC ODI World Cup final loss a huge national setback: “Everyone just celebrated that India would win easily at home. They forgot it is a sports field and there are two teams racing. One was better prepared. They are a dominant team, but losing the World Cup at home is a huge loss. I don't know how you move on from that. With 1.4 billion people, you should beat anyone on the planet.”