‘We may call them chokers,’ says Kapil Dev of India’s squad following England’s defeat. Kapil Dev also asked fans not to be too hard on the squad after only one loss.
The Indian squad, captained by Rohit Sharma, was thrashed by England in the semi-finals in Adelaide, therefore ruining India’s chances of winning their first ICC championship since 2013. Following such defeat, veteran Indian captain Kapil Dev, who led India to their first World Cup championship in 1983, stated that the players should be labeled as “chokers.”
India’s most recent big ICC victory came in the Champions Trophy in 2013, led by the dynamic former Indian captain MS Dhoni. However, the Indian squad has struggled in multiple semi-final and final meetings in worldwide championships after that success. Kapil Dev, the legendary all-rounder, underlined their failure to withstand pressure conditions in crucial games, earning them the label of chokers. However, the legendary cricketer was keen to point out that being overly harsh after just one loss would be unjust.
“Yes, we can call them chokers. That’s okay. They come close and then choke. But don’t be too harsh. I agree, India played bad cricket, but we cannot be overly critical based on just one game,”
Kapil said.
England judged the pitch better and played better cricket: Kapil Dev
Kapil also praised the English hitters for reading the pitch better and playing better cricket throughout the match. Despite a par total of 168 runs, he believed the bowlers did not execute well and might have done much more in the powerplay to apply pressure on the English hitters.
“England read the pitch better and played better cricket. We should not be too harsh on our players. These are the same guys who have brought laurels to the country. 168-170 is a good score. But if you don’t bowl according to the pitch, then this is what is going to happen. It is very easy to say in hindsight, but look at the number of shorts balls they bowled,”
He added.
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