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Ganguly urges India to play 'aggressively' to win international titles

India’s major international tournament win was Champions Trophy in 2013

Ganguly urges India to play 'aggressively' to win international titles

FORMER captain Sourav Ganguly urged the Indian team to adopt an "aggressive" approach to end their decade-long wait for an international title.

India has been unsuccessful in winning any major international tournaments since the Champions Trophy in 2013 and had early exits in the last two Twenty20 World Cups.


However, they are expected to perform well and have a good chance of winning the 50-over World Cup at home later this year.

Additionally, India will play against Australia in the ICC World Test Championship final at the Oval in June.

"India have to play aggressively, especially in T20s. They have the team to do that," Ganguly told the Times of India newspaper in an interview published Tuesday (28).

"Indian cricket will always have talent and a big pool. It's the ones who are more hungry go to the next level. It's about how you prepare for the big tournaments," he said.

Ganguly, however, declined to criticise India's all-format captain Rohit Sharma or coach Rahul Dravid, saying they are "very balanced people and will do what's best for Indian cricket".

But the former Indian cricket board chief hinted that he believed Hardik Pandya could be a future permanent India captain.

The all-rounder led Gujarat Titans to victory in the Indian Premier League in their debut season last year.

He has also been stand-in India captain several times in the absence of Rohit.

"IPL is a good breeding ground. We have seen how well Hardik Pandya has captained in the IPL. That's one of the reasons why he has been captaining India in the shorter formats also," he said.

"You can't ignore wins and losses in the IPL because it's a very tough tournament."

Ganguly, who is widely regarded as one of the sport's greatest captains, urged Pandya to return to Test cricket, calling him an "asset" in the five-day game as well.

Pandya, a pace bowler and an attacking batsman, last played a Test in 2018 before a back injury forced him out. He returned to white-ball cricket last year.

(AFP)

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Rohit, who missed India’s win in the series opener in Perth to attend the birth of his son, returned for the Adelaide Test but dropped down the order and managed only nine runs. India suffered a 10-wicket defeat inside three days, intensifying scrutiny on Rohit’s contributions.
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Rohit’s form, however, is not the only issue for India. Jasprit Bumrah, who impressed with four wickets in Adelaide, caused alarm when he clutched his inner thigh during his 20th over. Bowling coach Morne Morkel said Bumrah had suffered only cramp and was otherwise fine, but the pacer’s limited participation in training has raised questions.
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting highlighted Bumrah’s importance, saying, “Bumrah's that big for India, I don't think they can win without him,” speaking to broadcaster Seven Network.
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The Gabba holds bittersweet memories for both sides. India’s dramatic three-wicket win in 2021 ended Australia’s 33-year unbeaten run at the venue. While the current series will continue beyond Brisbane, the stakes are significant for the World Test Championship.
A loss for India would leave their WTC final hopes uncertain, while a win for Australia would bring them closer to next year’s decider at Lord’s.
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