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'Year Of What Could Have Been...', Ex-Pacer Reflects On IND's Journey In 2023

image-lqs1yqmqIND lost WTC final against Australia [X.com]

As we stand on the brink of the New Year, former Indian pacer Venkatesh Prasad has shared his reflections on the Indian team's performance in 2023 and extended his best wishes to the Men in Blue. Despite not winning the ICC World Cup 2023 at home, Prasad underscored the Indian team's dominance in the 50-overs format throughout the year against all opponents.

Prasad, known for his candid opinions, voiced his views on the year gone by and conveyed his hopes for an even better performance in 2024. In a social media post, the Karnataka-born cricketer emphasized his desire to see India clinch championships in the upcoming year.

Reflecting on 2023, Prasad acknowledged the high expectations at the beginning of the year when India was considered favourites to win three major ICC tournaments. 

However, the Women's T20 World Cup in South Africa saw India facing disappointment, followed by the Men's team's loss in the World Test Championship final against Australia. Despite a dominating run in the ODI World Cup, India faced a setback in the final against Pat Cummins' led side in Ahmedabad.

Prasad echoed his sentiments, stating,

"It’s been a year of 'What could have been' for Team India. Dominated the World Cup only to have a very bad day when it mattered in the finals. Lost the WTC finals as well. Travis Head was brilliant in both these games. Hope in the coming year, India starts winning Championships which has eluded them for more than a decade now. Wishing the best for Team India in the coming year and always."

Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, India once again proved why they're highly rated in the one-day format. The team displayed unparalleled dominance during the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka and the World Cup at home, securing victory in ten consecutive matches with precision in both batting and bowling.

Despite their unbeaten run, the year witnessed a heart-wrenching loss in the ODI World Cup final. Considering the team's remarkable all-round abilities, the reasons behind this unexpected defeat will remain perplexing for years to come.

In addition to the ODI World Cup, India missed out on the opportunity to secure their first ICC World Test Championship title, falling to the same foe- Australia- in the summit clash at The Oval in London.

In a year without major T20I tournaments, India strategically rested and rotated players, providing opportunities to emerging talents. 

Led by players like Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav, India won 15 out of 27 T20Is, experiencing defeat in seven games, with one game producing no result—continuing the team's preparations for the next year's T20 World Cup, scheduled to be played in the West Indies and the USA.